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. 

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."

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.

Favorite find: Lorde's Pure Heroin

Photo by James K. Lowe

Lorde has skyrocketed in popularity. Even if you haven't heard of the 16-year-old newcomer, you certainly have heard of her song "Royals" which could be heard on any popular radio station this summer. 

I've followed Lorde for quite some time now, and I couldn't be more excited that she's getting the recognition that she deserves on the brink of the release of her debut album Pure Heroin. While you can't own the album for another week, you can pre-order it (done) and listen to the entire album at this link (and done). 

The New Zealand native's eerie yet addictive electro-pop songs are perfect to put on repeat on a rainy afternoon while studying or staring out a window (which I do way too often). Give it a listen before Lorde takes over the globe--there's no stopping her now. 

Get More: MTV Shows

Favorite find: Fashion at Work by Teen Vogue

Becoming a Brand Manager for Moda Operandi with Jana Hofheimer

One of the best aspects of social media today is the ability one has to share the little-known, behind-the-scene facts of one's life. Of course, this can also be a very big turn-off. Social media gives anyone and everyone the power to share the most unnecessary information, creating the overwhelming amount of information that we are inundated with each and every day. 

This is precisely what makes finding gems like this video so exciting. I found Teen Vogue's "Fashion at Work" series quite a while ago, but they have revamped their Youtube channel since. The series features interviews with various professionals in the fashion industry, and the diversity of occupations is impeccable. These short three-minute videos contain more insight than any textbook, featuring both seasoned veterans of the industry and recent grads that have just broken into it. 

Each episode in the series never fails to inspire me, and is one of the few that I subscribe to on YouTube. It opens my mind to careers that I have never heard of or even thought of in the fashion industry. Be sure to watch some of my favorite episodes below, and catch up with Teen Vogue's channel here: 

Alyssa Reeder: Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief at Teen Vogue

Getting a Job in Communications at Diane von Furstenburg with Elizabeth Luby

Favorite find: Dormify.com's new sorority line

I haven't mentioned this on the blog yet, but I am a sorority woman. I am a proud sister of Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority at the Delta Nu chapter. 

Joining a sorority completely transformed my college experience, and I still believe that's it's been one of the best unexpected decisions that I've made thus far. In high school, I believed every misconception that existed about sororities, and swore that I could never see myself in one. Yet here I am today. 

Every chapter is different at every school, so it's understandable why some are weary of Greek life. Sororities can be intimidating as a freshman, but there is so much more to them than their stereotypes. If found, sisterhood can be one of the most rewarding relationships that you have. These women become so much more than an acquaintance--they will do anything for you. 

On a lighter note, one of the best perks of being in a sorority is all the apparel and accessories that you can wear to display your pride. I love finding unique ways to represent my sorority through what I wear--which is why I was so excited when I was told that Dormify added Phi Sigma Sigma to the 17 other sororities that they create clothing and accessories for. 

Dormify's new Greek line is impeccable--it's full of unique accessories, clothing and other items that you can't find anywhere else. Their sorority clothing and jewelry is understated and actually wearable instead of tacky and cliched. 

Check out some of my favorite items below:

Phi Sigma Sigma Metallic Slouchy T-Shirt $25

I Heart My Sorority Cuff $25

Be sure to check out the new line if you're a sorority woman as well, and keep up with Dormify's blog about college lifestyle (which I also write for).

I adore...

Decorating with pink. Lately, I've been loving the trend of pink accents in interiors. Lonny Magazine's slideshow has inspired me to incorporate the color into my bedroom in my new apartment (with lots of white and grey as well). 

Woody Allen's life lessons. Esquire Magazine recently did a feature on Woody Allen and what he's learned over the 77 years of his life. I particularly like his point about showers. 

Eva Chen for Lucky Magazine. I have been in love with Eva since her early days at Teen Vogue. After hearing her speak at Teen Vogue Fashion University my freshman year, she became my ultimate role model. Now, she's being heralded as the first Editor in Chief of our generation by the New York Times. Read her first editor's letter for Lucky here. 

Lara Casey. I love everything that Lara Casey does. From her constantly inspirational blog, Southern Weddings Magazine, and so much more, she never fails to remind me how beautiful life is and how we can work to make it even more beautiful. Make life happen. 

Happy Friday!

Favorite find: Olivia Bee Photography

Sometimes you find the best things in the strangest of ways. I think that is one of the most prominent characteristics of life--spontaneity. You can't force many things. You simply have to do as much as you can, and let life take its course. And funnily enough, everything tends to be okay in the end. And if it's not okay, it's not the end. 

Recently I stumbled across Olivia Bee's photography portfolio via a friend's Facebook.She's only 19, yet she captures the eccentricities and simplicities of life in the most beautiful ways. I particularly love her 'Everyday' and 'Lovers' projects, as they examine life's little moments. 

This quote on her About Me page sums up exactly how I feel about her photos, and speaks to how I've been thinking a lot lately about the importance of recognizing even the simplest moments in life: "I strive to capture the ordinary, in an extraordinary way. Life is beautiful, perfect, and cinematic, if you look at the right moments. It's not always an accurate summary of life in general, but it is those specific moments that make it worth living anyway."

Favorite find: Byrdie

I first became obsessed with blogs, and particularly fashion blogs, in my freshman year of high school. If you asked my parents, they would describe it as the era in which I emerged from my room only for food. As a determined student, I would dutifully research colleges that I could not apply to for another three years and internships that I could not even dream of for at least six more years. 

Of course, I needed plenty of inspiration material to fuel my hunger for all things related to fashion and the up-and-coming online home for the industry. One of the first blogs I began following was WhoWhatWear. I could spend hours watching Hillary and Katherine plan outfits and share wish lists on WhoWhatWearTV. 

In the six years since I first started following the budding blog, it has become a tour de force and can't be stopped. The duo behind WhoWhatWear recently launched a stand-alone online beauty magazine site called Byrdie with Britt Aboutaleb as the editorial director. 

The site is stunning. While I have always been the girl who cared more about what was in her closet than her makeup bag, this site has persuaded me to think otherwise. Beauty blogs are a dime a dozen, but the editorial direction that guides the content on this site sets it apart from any other. 

Simple articles like "How to find the best lipstick at the drug store" are quickly turned into works of art with photos of various shades of the recommended offerings smeared across a white background. I also love the section entitled "Beauty Routine" which highlights what celebrities use to beautify themselves each day with how-tos straight from their own mouths. 

Byrdie has quickly turned me into a beauty girl--will you be next?

Favorite find: Vintage Bowles

In life, we come across many characters. We meet those that are quirky, type-A, eccentric and charming. There are those that never leave our lives and some that only stay for a moment, but leave an impression to last a lifetime.

Hamish Bowles is certainly a character that is not easy to forget. Formally known as Vogue magazine's editor-at-large, the man is known for his exquisite taste and talent. He has been an avid collector of vintage couture for years, and Vogue has recently made the excellent move to film the man doing what he does best for a new series entitled Vintage Bowles.

Stumbling across this series on Vogue's new video channel (which is quite amazing--I could spend the whole day watching videos from their various series. My other favorites: Vogue Weddings and Beauty Mark) was like stumbling across hidden treasure, or more appropriately a rare couture gown. 

The passion with which Hamish speaks of the clothing that he is searching for and his various expeditions is inspiring. The history that he covers in a mere three minutes, like in the video above that delves into designer Charles James' dresses, leaves me wanting more. 

Discovering things like this is what makes me love fashion and how the industry is evolving alongside technological advancements. This series in particular is unique in that it combines stories of fashion history with a platform where it can be appreciated today. 

Characters always have a story to tell. After all, they are part of the story themselves. I cannot wait to continue watching Hamish weave tales of his colorful past and present through this series. Until the next episode, however, I will satisfy my penchant for all things Hamish with these photos from his Gatsby-themed 50th birthday thrown by Anna Wintour herself. 

Oh, Hamish.