Third time's a charm

Express skirt, Urban shirt and gray heels, Venetian glass earrings found on my European trip in the back streets of Venice.

I wish I could say that I wore this outfit to work, or maybe on a hot date, or even to a nice lunch. I actually got all dressed up to go to Chic-fil-A for a spicy chicken sandwich and get my oil changed for the upcoming move. All the people serving me waffle fries and those at the auto shop thought I looked super cute though.

Sorry for the lack of updating but unfortunately I haven't a reason to get dressed up. Mandy came back this weekend and we all spent the entire 2 days in our swimsuits at the pool or on the slip and slide out back. I guess I'll have to start putting on clothes during the day if I'm ever going to finish this challenge…

All my best,

Karmen

Pizza Burgers

Today I drove out to Darlington to have lunch with my friend Jess. After an hour long drive listening to Nelly and TLC (straight up middle school, I know) I finally arrived in the small town of Darlington, South Carolina. We went to Joe's to get a delicious pizza burger and catch up on everything.

Tell me that doesn't look delicious.

Limited skirt, Forever 21 shirt, Delias belt, Ciao Bella ballet flats, and Ashley's awesome brown necklace from Charming Charlies (that I bought for her obvi)

I got Ashley to take my picture today. We were outside for a total of 3 minutes when Ashley started sweating and passing out of heat exhaustion thus giving up on a grand photo shoot. So that's why that second picture is so awkward…

Today I realized I will be moving back home soon. Did the summer really go by that fast? Anyways, this 30 for 30 challenge will have to move back home with me. Hopefully I can handle it so far away from everyone…

All my best,

Karmen

PS. Mandy is coming to visit this weekend!!!

A date with myself

Well it's summertime in Columbia. Which means it's impossibly hot and impossibly boring around this ghost of a town. With everyone else busy working and traveling it's been pretty lonely around the apartment. I decided to finally get out of my pajamas and off the couch and go on a date with myself. So I went shopping and went to lunch with no one else but my book. Maybe later tonight I'll take myself out to a movie…

As you know this is my first day of the 30 for 30 challenge. I put together a very simple outfit with a new dress I bought at the 40% off Ann Taylor sale (aka heaven). After working in the 100 degree blazing sun with the self timer I had broken into an intense sweat, so I settled for the best picture I could manage. Once Ashley gets home I'll have her take pictures of me…



Ann Taylor dress, vintage earrings, and Ariat boots

Until next time,
Karmen (& Mandy)

Finally picked my 30

Here we go ya'll, I've finally picked my 30 pieces for the 30 for 30 challenge. Wish me luck!







Now we just have to wait for Mandy to pick hers!

-Karmen

30 for 30 challenge

Okay okay. I'm bored. I have nothing to do. And Mandy is so far away!

So I've decided to start a little project inspired by the genius behind Kendi Everyday (http://kendieveryday.blogspot.com/) called 30 for 30.



The idea is simple. I choose 30 pieces and mix and match them for 30 different outfits for 30 days. Good idea for a poor unemployed college graduate right?

Okay well I'll be picking out my 30 pieces (probably all 5 Points wearable other than my pjs that I wear all day everyday now…) after this weekend. Until then I'm off to the lake for the 4th!

missing Mandy,
Karmen

PS. Happy 4th of July!
PPS. USC Gamecocks are NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! (in case you didn't already know…)

London to Rome

So as you all know, I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime around Europe. You guys want to hear my favorite part? Dressing up every day for sightseeing, dinners, and cocktails. Want to know my second favorite part? People watching.

Needless to say I over packed for this little trip. When we got to the airport my suitcase was a grand total of 51.5 pounds. Apparently the cutoff weight is 50 so I was forced to take out a pair of shoes (which coincidentally weighed exactly 1.5 pounds) and carry them in my already over stuffed carry on. If I had known I was going to wear the same pair of sandals almost everyday I wouldn't have packed so many cute shoes.

Anyways. About all the outfits I wore all over the Continent. (Please disregard the quality of pictures. Apparently my parents can't take a picture of me that includes my feet so there was little to work with…love you momma) I have most of my day outfits documented, but for whatever reason I chose not to take pictures of my evening outfits (which were much more interesting and were paired with actual accessories and beautiful heels) so please forgive me.



Walking down the Champs Elysees in Paris. I'm wearing a jean pencil skirt found at a small boutique in Charleston, ruffled shirt from Ann Taylor, the infamous silver sandal I wore everywhere by Giani Bernini, my "hey I'm a tourist" purse found at Marshall's, and Jess' silver earrings from Francesca's. Jess is wearing…an outfit ya'll have already seen. Pardon the awkward pose, we had to stop to quickly take this picture. People walk like madmen in Paris!



After climbing to the top of Mount Stanserhorn in Switzerland I wore Express jeans with an Ann Taylor off the shoulder red sweater (that I'm sure my friends agree I wear way too much), Nine West sunglasses, turquoise necklace from XXI, and "the purse."



Sitting atop the capital of a fallen Corinthian column at the Colosseum in Rome. This day I wore the Vatican dress code approved dress from Express.



So I'm in my map…(Friend's reference anyone?) At Buckingham Palace wearing a Gap dress worn with Target sandals and the recurring belt from Delia's.



At the upside down pyramid at the Louvre in Paris. I wore a cami from Express with a grey silk skirt from Ann Taylor, long pearls from Charlotte Russe, and a (fake) Coach cross body purse. Jess wore a shirt from Ann Taylor, skirt from Express and carried a (fake) Coach purse as well.



Shopping in the Island of Murano, Italy wearing a dress from Gap, "the purse," Delias belt, and flats found at Marshall's appropriately named Ciao Bella.



Making a wish in the Trevi fountain wearing a dress from Express and Jess' gold bracelet from Hand Picked.

I would share my pictures of the sights I saw but ya'll can just Google image London, Paris, Lucerne, Venice, Florence, Rome and see for yourself.

All my best,
Karmen (still missing Mandy)

Hair hair hair

Okay guys, I'm back. For 10 days I travelled all over Europe with my roommate Jess and my parents as a graduation trip to London, Paris, Lucerne, Venice, Florence and Rome. It was easily the best 10 days of my life.

One thing when traveling abroad to remember: hair appliances will blow up and not work. Even with my converter, my blow dryer and straightener scared me by blowing up the very first day of our trip. Europe was forced to see me with fuzzy awkwardly wavy hair though out our stay. When it came time to our fancy dinner out in Paris I didn't know what to do with the hot mess that was my hair after a day of sight seeing around the city. Clearly an up do was necessary. Many bobby pins and some fresh flowers from the garden later…



Voila! Worn with a dress from Target, earrings from Ben Bridge, and pearls from Charlotte Russe.

More on the trip later. Now I'll work on that jet lag by taking a nice nap…

-Karmen (missing Mandy)