Taking A Step Away

Even though its summer my days are still stressful and busy. Mostly, because there is a ton of commotion around my house, hosting dinner parties, people running in and out and my brothers having friends over. Sometimes I just need some alone time and a place to make time stop and de-pressurize (spell check?) my life. 

  

My favorite way to "take a step away" is to ride my bike to a near by park and read a book. I am a really big reader and it is a really good way to stop thinking about your life! This summer has been busier than usual because I am taking an extra math class and a Java class at University of Chicago. School yay... My summer has been kind of boaring but busy so it has been important for me to have me time and enjoy my self in the free time I have!

What have you been up to this summer?

Love & Blazers 

Julia

Jellies Be Jamin'

As you know if you've seen my last two posts, my birthday was last week! I turned sixteen, the big 16, and a couple of my friends bought be these Lily Pulitzer shorts and I am obsessed! 

Tee/Shorts/Necklace/Earrings 

Love & Blazers

Julia

Birthday Outfit!

Well as of 7:42 this morning I am officially 16! I had my party last night and it was so much fun despite the fog! We went to a really cool restaurant in the city and then on a boat ride to see the fire works at Navy Pier. If you saw my last post I talked about how I had an outfit post coming up with the clothing I got from Zara. So I ended up wearing the outfit for my birthday so here it is...

Yay! Super awkward pose!

Jacket/Top similar/shorts

Sorry I didn't show my shoes, I have a big scar on my ankle from when I broke my ankle and I thought you wouldn't want to see that. I just wore some old Steve Madden sandals in case you were wondering!

Love & Blazers 

Julia

Thank God For Zara!

Oh Zara... *sighs* ever since I found you in eight grade I have been in love! Its actually a funny story how I stumbled upon it and quite frankly I don't really remember. In downtown Chicago everything is located on one street, Michigan Avenue so if you don't know a store you will probably stumble into it anyway. I am guessing thats what happened with me or another one of my friends introduced me to the store. I will have to ask Katelyn from seersucker and stripes, she might know! It seems like so long ago though (excuse me while I have a sentimental moment). Ok I am back, sorry high school is halfway done and I am not ready for that. 

Back to what I actually meant to write about today, there has always been a Zara downtown but never one easily accessible to those of us who live in the suburbs. The Zara downtown would be easier to get to if parking was cheeper or I could trust myself with a credit card. Now they put a Zara in at my local mall! My life will never be the same! Of course, right when I heard it opened I went rushing to the mall! 

I absolutely love everything I got! Expect a couple outfit posts to come! Especially because I plan on wearing some of the things of my birthday! *cough cough, its on Thurday!*

Love & Blazers

Julia

Spa Day!

My summer has felt like it has been going on forever, i've been so busy lately! So I thought I would take my Sunday and just relax. This morning I was strolling through pinterest and I found a cute little DIY for a face mask and I thought I would try it out tonight! So the idea is from the bare foot blonde and it brightens skin and gets rid of black heads, which I have a multitude of. 

1. Mix one TBSP Knox Unflavored Gelatin with 1 1/2 − 2 TBSP of milk in a disposable cup

2. Microwave for 10-15 seconds and apply to face immediately. 

3. wait until the mixture has dried and peel it off! 

* Oh and make sure to avoid areas with hair like your eyebrows and hair line because it might pull of little hairs! *

Love & Blazers

Julia

Favorite Style Friday!

Sorry I did not post yesterday! I got home later than expected from St. Louis and I was really tired so I just postponed it till today! Since I recently redecorated my room and I am still looking for small details and decorations to add. One of my favorite vanity pieces is a perfume tray! I have always loved perfume and I think the packaging is to die for. Here are some cute examples I found via pinterest!

I will never own this many perfumes but I live the two tiers!

Love & Blazers 

Julia

College Visits!

Tomorrow I leave for my first college visit, quite the daunting experience! I will be visiting Washington University in St. Louis which is my favorite school so far (even though my search hasn't exactly been long!). I have no idea what to expect and hopefully it will be AMAZING because I really want to go there. Thursday is an Academic Exploration day and I guess we are going to go on a tour and do some activities. Wish me luck! Oh and I will probably do a post on college tours and interviews after I have had a couple of them! 

Love & Blazers

Julia 

Oh and leave a comment or email me if you have any advice for my interview or tour!

Finding the Positive Part of an Obstacle

As I mentioned in my last post I broke my ankle three months ago at soccer practice. I broke my fibula and had significant ligament damage causing my bones to shift. So, I had surgery three days later and they put a plate and six screws in my right ankle. In a strange twist of fate the polar vortex ended up benefiting me and we had a snow day the day of my surgery and a testing day the next. So, I did not end up missing school. My mother rented a wheel chair because I was unable to use crutches and took me to the mall to cheer me up. Getting around j.crew in a wheel chair is not the easiest feet! 

I was in a wheel chair for my first week back at school which was quite the experience! I go to school in a big wooden school in the city that is from before the Chicago Fire so it was not exactly wheelchair accessible! The week after that I got a knee scooter for a couple of weeks just because it was a lot less taxing to scooter than to use the crutches! Here is a picture of me with my knee scooter at the art institute...

Once I got my hard cast off I was in a walking boot and physical therapy (which is almost over!!)

It was incredibly hard to miss my entire soccer season and not be able to go and hang out with my friends for a long time. What I learned from the situation is that you have to take your blows as they come and make the most of the situations you are put in!

Love & Blazers

Julia

Where Have I Been?

First of all.... I AM SO SORRY!

I know I have been absent for a couple of months! I am so sorry! Second semester sophomore year was brutal! However, there are a bunch of other bloggers my age that blogged right through second semester sophomore year. I have always been baffled by some bloggers who have an interesting blog post every day. I mean my life is pretty boring, well I should say my life is more consistent. During the  school year I wake up at 6 and take the 40 minute trek on the Eisenhower, then I have soccer every day after school. Once I finally get home around six or seven I have four to five hours of home work. I mean where is the fun in that? I honestly need more life inspiration for blogging! If you have any suggestions email me I would love to know someone is actually looking at my blog after the months I have been gone. 

After I took a break in February I definitely expected to be back after my life set into a groove with soccer and I got my school work under control; however, about a month after my last post I broke my leg at the second soccer practice of the season! I broke my fibula through my growth plate (which as still open! oops!). It turned out it was pretty serious and I had a lot of ligament damage and I had to have surgery. More on that tomorrow! I was on heavy narcotics for around a month and I was behind on school work for the remainder of the semester! I was also unable to play in any games or practices during my soccer season, so I was the team mascot! 

Now I am back running around and I am almost done with physical therapy! I hope you are not too mad about my extended blog-cation! 

as always.....

Love & Blazers

Julia 

#breakfastinbed

I got the idea to do this tag from Ashley {Private School Prepster} and I think its absolutely adorable! I just did another tag post but what can I say? There are a ton out there! This tag is cute and short for a lazy Saturday post because on Saturday mornings I typically sleep in and just rest in the morning because divers ed is from 12-2 so there isn't a ton of time! 

My typical Saturday morning looks a bit like this...

lol I wish!

1. What is the first thing you do on Saturday Morning?

I usually lay in bed for a while, maybe watch a show, then get some tea!

2. What would your ideal breakfast be?

I have never been the biggest breakfast person because its hard for me to eat in the mornings! If I eat breakfast, I love tea and I like the Fage greek yogurts or sometimes an egg white omelet!

3. If you could have woken up this morning and been anywhere, where would it be?

It would be great to be up in Nantucket or Connecticut!

4. What is your favorite Instagram filter?

I love Inkwell! Everything looks better in black and white!

Leave a comment if you do #breakfastinbed!

Love & Blazers

Julia

Boyfriend Jeans: Splurge vs. Save

I don't know about you but for spring I have been eyeing some pairs of boyfriend jeans and I fell in love with them. They would look so good with one of J Crew's baseball tees and a navy blazer with some colorful pumps or maybe a cute cap! My favorite pair is picture number one but those are such a big splurge {$466} especially for jeans... so that wont be happening. There is also pair number two and those are from J Crew, they are less but still too much. I sort of like pair number three but I feel like they have a bit to much going on with the distressed denim and the destroyed denim! Although they are a good price! I think I will have to keep looking! 

Love & Blazers

Julia

What are your thoughts on boyfriend jeans?

TMI Tag

I saw this tag on Katelyn's blog {Seersucker and Stripes} and I hadn't done a tag in a while so I thought it would be fun! So these are the questions that Katelyn answered on her blog!

1. What are you wearing right now?

Well I guess I didn't think this through enough! I blog at night before I go to bed so I am wearing my monogramed night shirt from J Crew. If you want to know my outfit from today leave a comment!

2. Ever been in love?

Nope, not even a celebrity love! #loveless

{yes I still use hash-tags lol}

3. Ever have a terrible brake up?

Not unless you count when Gossip Girl ended.

4. Any tattoos?

I am so afraid of needles! So, no.

5. Any piercings?

Just my ears.

6. How tall are you?

5'6"

7. One true pairing? (OTP)

My friend Lauren and this boy from our school! {she knows who!}

8. Favorite show?

 Gossip Girl & the Carrie Diaries

9. Favorite Bands?

Fleetwood Mac, Taylor Swift, One Republic, the Killers, and Tears for Fears.

10. Something you miss?

My brother, he is at college but I saw him last weekend.

11. Favorite song?

Mad World~ Tears for Fears

12. How old are you?

15

13. Zodiac sign?

Cancer

14. Quality you look for in a parter?

Makes me laugh and is nice and charming

15. Favorite Quote?

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." ~ E.E. Cummings

16. Favorite actor/actress?

Jennifer Laurence, Josh Hutcherson, David Tennant, Leighton Meester, Audrey Hepburn

17. Favorite color?

Yellow, it makes me happy because it's so bright!

18. Loud Music or soft?

Why isn't medium an option?

19. Where do you go when you get sad?

I usually just sit on the floor of my closet

20. How long does it take you to shower?

About 15-20 minutes, 30 if I have time

21. How long does you take it to get ready in the morning?

Half an hour

22. Ever been in a physical fight?

Nope!

23. Turn on? 

Some one who dresses well

24. Turn off?

Some one you acts really stupid 

25. Fears?

NEEEDLES, getting buried alive, being left out

26. The last thing that made you cry?

Mine is the same as Katelyn's, what a coincidence! The movie Frozen.

27. Last time you said you loved someone?

My Dad when he came in to say good night and my Mom when she made me a glass of water

28. Meaning behind you blog name?

I just thought of it out of the blue for one of my pinterest board titles and I liked it!

29. Last book you read?

Madame Chic

30. Book you reading currently?

Lunch in Paris, a Love Story with recipes! Such a cute book and it has the recipes of the things they eat, how clever!

31. Last person you talked to?

My Mom walked into my room literally two seconds ago.

32. The relationship between you and the last person you texted?

It was a group chat with all of my "group" I guess and we were talking about our Winter Formal picture party plans.

33. Favorite Food?

Carrots, Pomegranates, vanilla cupcakes, cucumbers, and cookies

34. Place you want to visit?

Lake Tahoe, and Paris {again}

35. Last place you were?

Before I came home I was at soccer conditioning at my school. Last place I went on vacation was San Diego.

36. Last time you were insulted?

I have no idea, by brother probably said I looked weird or something.

37. Favorite candy?

gummy bears are my life

38. What instruments do you play?

I used to play the flute and the piano. I also sung if that counts.

39. Favorite piece of jewelry?

my monogram necklace

40. Last sport you played?

Soccer

41. Last song you sang?

Let her go ~ Passenger 

42. Favorite pick up line? 

Do you have a Band-aid? Because I scraped my knee falling for you!

43. Have you ever used it?

Nope, I just internet searched pick up lines!

44. Last time you hung out with someone?

Friday 

If any of you do the tag be sure to leave a comment! I would love to read you answers!

Love & Blazers

Julia

Room Inspiration

Its been a long process getting my room finished because I have been so busy since the school year started. The main parts of my room are done and now I just have to finish it off! One major space I am focusing on right now is my desk and what art work I want to go over it. I have been finding a ton of inspiration on pintrest and tumblr for cute desk ideas check em' out!

{Peonies are a must}

I love the idea of prints and decorative books/candles/perfume bottles on my desk!

Also gotta love the Ashely Brooke mug! {I have a tea obsession}

I like the clean look too!

I know this is a kate spade store not a desk but I love the miss-matchy wall and I am definitely doing this {I already have a sketch drawn up!}

This is basically all of the pictures in one! definitely a chic desk!

Love & Blazers
Julia

Pins Of The Week

Love & Blazers

Julia

Favorites From J.Crew's Spring Collection!

I know I just posted a "Wish List Wednesday" but everything in this post is on my wish list too! Gosh, I really have to get a handle on this shopping problem of mine! Anyway, there is so much more from their new spring clothing that is too die for, these are just a few of my favorites. Also, the french blouse, can I just say i'm in love!

Love & Blazers

Julia

Wish List Wednesday!

Since I have been sick lately and spring is just around the corner (sort of) I have started searching for the perfect spring additions to my wardrobe! Since I have stopped growing it is easier to make bigger investments into clothing than in previous years so I am excited to start expanding my collection. As a preppy person I love the spring because it is a chance to bring color pack into my life, fall tones are fun but in the winter I just feel so drab half the time after the Christmas red has faded away. 

So in an effort to find the perfect Winter Formal dress my mom and I headed to the mall and we first stopped at Neiman Marcus. Now the reason we were at the mall is totally irrelevant to the situation but I think anyone can agree that it is pretty much the easiest thing to fall in love with everything you see at Neimans! There is a thing called Cusp which has all of the Neiman designers and products at Neimans on their website for a reduced rate (at least that's what I've been told) so for the past few weeks I have been glued to the site! Here are my favorite finds... 

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Love & blazers

Julia

Sick Days

Well I'm sick... In a polar vortex... just slummin' it in my room. I don't know about you guys but when Im sick my day just consists of a jcrew night shirt, chamomile tea, Chapstick, tissues, and Netflix. I can't really muster that much energy because I barley ever get sick so when I do I am beyond exhausted and all I can really is emerse myself in dream worlds like manhattan, Castleburry CN, the Upper East Side, and where ever Holly Golightly lives! If you got all of those references (which most of you did!) My top sick day shows/ movies are...

1. Gossip Girl

2. The Carrie Diaries

3. Breakfast at Tiffanies

{Unless you have a cold}

{You always need a blonde best friend! Shout out to Lauren!}

{the click}

{All I do is sleep, sleep, sleep not matter what}

Love & blazers

Julia