Playing in the snow.. with style

We had a humungous blizzard all across South Dakota for Christmas this year. Today was the first day it was actually nice enough for us to start shoveling snow. It stormed for three days, and we have drifts as high as seven feet surrounding our house. We shoveled for two hours this early afternoon and only made enough of a path to get from our front door to the road.

Most people compained about the blizzard.. mainly because they had places to go and things to do. We didn't mind being snowed in, and I experienced no cabin fever like my friends claimed to have.

Last night when we discovered today was going to be nice enough to go outside, my sister Andrea and I decided to tackle the snow. We felt like kids again. Our neighbors across the street sure had some entertainment while they were shoveling away.

The snow was not hard enough to walk on.. we sank into the snow bank every time we tried. It was easier to crawl to the top of the snow drift. Once we were queens of the mountain, we were able to roll down. I even came up with the smart idea of diving head first into a snow bank. My mother was kind enough to take a video!

As you can see in this photo, we were dressed in our winter best.

Happy Christmas

Hello everyone! I hope you all are having a great and safe Christmas. The blizzard has continued here in South Dakota.. both interestates are pretty much fully closed. Well, whoever asked for a white Christmas (me) has received their wish.

Since I've been unemployed for three months, I try to find any excuse to dress up. Since this holiday is so special, I thought to myself, "What time could be better?" I decided to pair a red, festive dress that I think I purchased from Target (it's a few years old) with some boots I bought at Payless (also a few years old).

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve, and I received some great gifts. Mostly, I was given money, which comes in handy during this unemployed stage of my life.

However, I believe that Santa has visited my home this year. I may have a job lined up in the Black Hills (one of the most beautiful region in the state). Even more, I will be able to incorporate my journalism degree into some of my job responsibilities. So I'm very happy.. and I only hope that the weather will be more cooperative next week so I can get up there for an interview. Otherwise, I have a job at a daycare and possible subbing at the school waiting for me come January.

If I do get this job in the Black Hills, some of the money will be spent on corporate attire as I only have two pairs of nice slacks. It's all working out perfectly. The coming of the new year looks very promising so far!

I ask God that He keep those travelling safe this holiday. And to those lost in car accidents, I ask that He watch over their families and keep them strong. I also ask that He keep watch over those overseas saving our country and their loved ones.

I hope you all are having a great Christmas and best wishes for the New Year!

Fashion from another era

I have been shopping for a job for three months now! It was nice to get out of the house today and shop for Christmas presents with my mom instead.

We decided to venture downtown. While my mom was trading in some gold jewelry for cash, I was busy scouring a bargain book store. They had many hard copies on sale for only $1! And, needless to say, in this day and economy, that kind of sale can not be passed up!

Afterwards, we enjoyed a two-story antique store for over an hour. We had fun looking at all the vintage clothes, furniture and collectibles. My favorite: the hats!

While touring this collectible-crammed store, I realized how much love I have for clothes and accessories dating all the way back to the 1920s. The elegance really appeals to me, especially when it came to gloves and hats. Back then, women's heads must have been as small as their hands were dainty. Both the gloves and hats were too small for me. (I would like to point out that my hands and head are normal sized!)

Anyways.. Luckily, some of the 1920s styles have become trendy again. I was sad to leave this quaint, colorful store empty-handed so I was happy to discover that Target currently sells cloche hats (notice the one in this photo).

The name comes from the fit of this style of hat.. Cloche is French for "bell." Caroline Reboux created the cloche to fit very close to the head and they are, well, bell-shaped.

They were often decorated with ribbons and bows that were styled in different ways to portray relationship status. An ribbon meant the woman was single but had already given her heart to someone in particular, a knot meant she was married and an extravagant bow meant the woman was single and looking.

According to those options, the hat that I purchased fits me perfectly as somebody already has my heart.. they just don't know it yet.

I was so thrilled to find this beautiful hat for such a reasonable price.. Not to mention, one that fit! And I hope to continue finding vintage fashions, whether they are trendy now or not. Because, let's not forget, this blog is devoted completely to my style which is.. me. My own style. Fashion I enjoy wearing, not because it's in style, but because I love it and feel comfortable in it and feel like myself in it.

Be yourself. Don't try to be anyone else. Wear what's you.

The hat: Target $14.99

Charlotte Russe Facebook Fan of the Week

I submitted the photo in my last post into a weekly contest on Charlotte Russe's Facebook fan page. The idea was to submit a picture portraying our "favorite scarf look."

The results came in today and ... I'm this week's Charlotte Russe's Facebook Fan of the Week!!!

Next week's contest photo must portray the best "these boots were made for walking" look. Luckily, I have a few photos on my computer in which I am wearing boots purchased at Charlotte Russe. They can also be seen in previous posts on this blog.

Then at the end of the month, fans will vote for the coveted Charlotte Russe Facebook Fan of the Month.

Wish me luck!

For more information or to become a Charlotte Russe fan and enter in the contests, visit www.facebook.com/charlotterusse

Scarves: Trying a new look

If you've read my blog, you know that I enjoy shopping at Charlotte Russe the most. I'm currently a fan of the store on Facebook, and they have contests to become the Facebook Fan of the Week.

This week, we had to submit a photo of our favorite scarf look. The photo had to contain at least one piece of CR merchandise, and we also had to give an explanation for why we deserve to be the Facebook fan of this week.

The picture on the left is the one that I submitted. I figured that if I submitted this photo, I would have a good chance of winning since it's a much different look. I assumed that most fans would enter photos using the general style for scarves: around the neck.

I've seen a look familiar to this, and I always wanted to try something like it. One day, I was visiting a friend of mine because she was bored at work and being me, I was goofing around.. with my scarf. I put it over my head and started twisting and turning and almost had it but couldn't get it to stick. So when I got home, I continued my efforts and.. Voila!

As for the piece of CR merchandise in this photo: the main attraction is that very piece. The sunglasses are also CR.

Do you want to know the reason?

Well, I think I should be the Charlotte Russe Facebook Fan of the Week because it's the only store I purchase clothes. I buy all of my sunglasses from CR and occasionally shoes when they have the buy-one-pair, get-the-second-for-$10 deal. Considering the time of year, I should also include that all of my family and good friends know this too, which is why I usually get one if not two gift cards to Charlotte Russe.

Besides that, I also have to drive almost an hour to visit the nearest Charlotte Russe store. But when CR is on the list, it's always worth it.

The scarf: $12.99
The sunglasses: Buy 2 for $8 sale