Welcome in 2013!

Did you know that in Medieval Europe, the threshold of a front door was a symbolic boundary with a lot of surrounding superstition? That's why, to this day, grooms still carry their brides across the threshold: back then, it stood for how the groom "kidnapped" the bride into his family, and also prevented the bride from tripping over the entranceway (tripping was supposed to bring bad fortune).

So here I am, ready to welcome in the new year, sitting at the threshold of a front door (to prevent tripping, of course). For those of you who are attending NYE parties tonight, I hope you stay safe and have fun.

For the rest of us that are curling up on the sofa and watching the ball drop in Times Square, I invite you to join me and have some hot chocolate, as we look forward to a promising new beginning.

Happy New Years!
Brittney

P.S. In case you're wondering if there's any reason that the 2013 cutout above is green, or why my blog is suddenly green-ified, it's because the color authority Pantone announced that emerald is the color of the year for 2013!

2012 Trends in Review

Can you believe 2012 is about to be over? As we look forward to the new 2013 fashions on the horizon, let's review the trends that soared to popularity in these past 12 months. Are there any that will stand the test of time? (Or any that you will actually wear in a month or two?).

I've separated 2012's top trends into three categories: fashion styles that are still "Trendy", those that are quickly becoming "Tired", and those that will only make you look like you are "Trying Too Hard". First up:

Trends that I think are still likely to be popular in 2013 include the peplum shape (universally flattering), wedge sneakers (still city-chic), and color-blocking. This picture may or may not be influenced by my latest outfit...not saying I'm biased toward these trends or anything...

Trends in the "Tired" category include animal sweaters (what blogger doesn't own an animal sweater?), suspender tights, and creepers with neon soles. I still think these pieces are cute, but they are quickly becoming oversaturated as everyone wears them over and over. Perhaps we are trying to wear these pieces out before they lose all popularity?

I like to call the above picture "A Depiction of A Fashion Blogger Trying Way Too Hard" or "How to End Up on the Front Page of Lookbook.nu". Because to me, it seems that every popular outfit set on lookbook.nu contains one of these overused trends: spiked Lita boots, "mullet" skirts, ombre-dyed hair, or round sunglasses. I think we can all be a little more creative and come up with some new fashion trends!

My workspace: the pictures above are a mix of pen, colored pencil, and pastel.

Here's my toast to a creative and inspired 2013, full of fashion, love, and happiness. And yes, you can burn those skull shirts and tribal-print sweaters now.

Kisses,
Brittney

Christmas at Hogsmeade

I spent Christmas at Hogsmeade this year. Yep, I even got some face-time with Ollivander the wand-maker himself! My family took a trip to Harry Potter world in the Universal Studios Islands of Adventure theme park, and it was an absolutely magical experience.

The creators of the park did a really great job designing the shops and rides to look like the actual movie set. I felt like I would bump into Harry, Ron, or Hermione any moment. The stores were small and cozy and packed to the ceiling with Extendable ears, Slytherin scarves, and stuffed plushies of Fawkes and Fluffy.

One downside of the small, narrow shops was the fact that it was really cramped inside. And if you want to get into Ollivander's wand shop, be prepared to wait outside. The staff will only let 27 people in at a time, so that Ollivander can have more time to find the perfect wand for one special witch or wizard.

During our time in the shop, Ollivander chose a boy out of the crowd to be fitted with a wand. However, the boy he chose did not speak English fluently, so he had trouble understanding Ollivander's instructions. Because of this, the show was even funnier, because when the boy tried out a spell with each new wand, Ollivander would correct his pronunciation. It reminded me of the first movie, when Hermione told Ron, "it's Levee-OH-sa, not Levee-oh-SA".

Our chocolate frog card inside was of Godric Gryffindor

I hope all of you guys had a great Christmas and holiday so far. I couldn't have had a better one, drinking frozen butterbeer and spending time with my family on the Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ride (The wait for that ride is over 2 hours for a reason: it's worth every minute of the wait when you get to see the inside of Hogwarts Castle and listen to the moving portraits). I'll be back with more posts later this week!

<3 Brittney

P.S. Butterbeer was definitely the highlight of the day. If you're curious, the frozen butterbeer I tried tasted like cream soda with a gingery kick---it was very sweet, creamy, and slightly sour in a good way.  I wish I could take a gallon of it to-go!

Brittney's Fashion Formula #1: Short, Long, Slim

I have a little secret to tell you guys: I usually hate picking out outfits in the morning. Because I'm not a morning person, I'm lucky if I manage to roll out of bed, pull on some jeans, and get to class on time. That means that, unless I plan ahead, I look like a huge slob.

That's why I'm introducing a new column called "Brittney's Fashion Formulas", to show you how I pull together outfits when I'm in a time crunch. These simple guidelines can save you precious minutes in the morning and ensure you look polished even if you just woke up.

Rule #1: Short, Long, Slim
Short on top (cropped jacket, short sweater)
Long underneath (tunic, dress, shift)
Slim on bottom (leggings, skinny jeans, tights)

What do you think of this post? Do you guys want more of my fashion formulas? Let me know in the comments!

Brittney

   

Homecoming

These are some shots taken on my first day home for winter break. I hail from a small Texas town and this is the "historic Main Street". In these pictures, I'm stomping around in my black cowboy boots and a vintage Dooney and Bourke bag that is just as worn and as battered as these streets.

Since I couldn't pack that much to bring home, I'm looking forward to mixing and matching my basic wardrobe in creative ways. I'm also looking forward to devouring my mom's cooking (don't those homemade dumplings look great?) If you like this photo diary, let me know in the comments and I'll post some pictures soon!

Off to sneak some dumplings,
Brittney

Mustard and Silver

Hello, lovelies! It's finally getting cooler here in Houston, so I wanted to wear this mustard short-sleeved cardigan before fall officially transitions to winter. I paired the mustard cardigan with an unexpected color---silver---and crisp white pants.

Also, how cool are these sunglasses? They have a swoop in the handles, which is very distinctive. Can you believe that I found them at Forever 21?

By the way, I took these pictures using a tripod that I checked out from the Rice University digital media center (I'm too poor to shell out money for my own tripod!). The funny thing is, the media center names all their tripods. As you can see, I was given the "Jon Stewart"!

Apparently, the media center also names their audio recorders, and one of the audio recorders is called "Nickelback". These people really have a sense of humor...

I'm going home for winter break today, so I'll be updating from there soon!

Until then,
Brittney

A New Beginning

I am tired of my blog and my fashion sucking, to be honest. Since the onset of final exams and end of classes, I feel like my style and my blogging has fallen into a rut. So I'm hoping you guys will forgive me as I try again, toward a new beginning.

To prove to myself that my blog could be every inch the inspirational and beautiful creation that I envisioned, I had to do this photoshoot. The high-powered scarf print shirt symbolizes my push towards a bolder style. After all, I believe that one of my best qualities is my desire to experiment and search for new inspiration. I hope you'll stick with me, as there is so much more to discover!

Best,
Brittney

{Outfit Details: Scarf print shirt: a.n.a // Silver necklace: Forever 21 (similar here) // Faux leather moto jacket: Ambiance Apparel (similar here) // Black quilted wallet: Juicy Couture (velour version here) // Gray zipper jeans: Levi's // Platform heels: Nine West}

Dance Inspiration

At Rice University, each student is required to take a Lifetime Physical Activity Program class, and you can choose from various physical exercise classes including yoga, ballet, and fencing.

The class I chose to take was "Introduction to Dance", and our group was required to choreograph a dance for our final project. Have a look at the video of our dance (I choreographed the second and third songs!) Let me know what you think of the choreography and the dancing! 

I'm the girl in all-black. Say hi to me!

The Blue Hand

A while ago, my friend T and I went to get frozen yogurt in Rice Village, near Rice University. Rice Village, despite its name, is not a cute elf-dwelling where the buildings are made of white grain; it's actually a very nice shopping center conveniently located close to campus. 

However, on our way to get frozen yogurt, we were distracted by a spooky-looking curio store...quite possibly the strangest shop in the Village.

You know how bloggers often rave about discovering new thrift stores and exclusive little shops where they find unique, one-of-a-kind pieces? This might have been right up their alley. But to me, it looked more like the movie "The Cabin in the Woods". If you haven't seen the movie yet, ***spoiler alert*** the movie is about 5 college kids who go camping in a cabin where they discover a basement full of objects. Little do they know that whatever object they choose will determine how they are killed. **end spoiler***. 

Macabre, right? Well, this curio store had all the elements of a scary movie. The store is actually a old house, and each room (even the kitchen) is stacked with every kind of doll or decoration ever made. There are objects right up to the ceilings, and all the way up the stairs.

Notice the egg-men in the window, and the man watching you on the right!

Of course, T and I started making fun of each other and trying to guess how we would die based on what objects caught our eye, as if we were in "The Cabin in the Woods". I really liked the painted figurines, which to T meant that I would be torn apart by a pack of wild animals.

In the end, I think we freaked each other out more than the actual shop did. When we stumbled upon a small tent (perhaps for a dog?), we thought it was a sacrificial altar and neither of us had the guts to look inside. We probably made an embarrassment of ourselves to the owner as we ran down the stairs and bolted out the door.

A small offering for...?

I might go back and take a closer look at The Blue Hand another time, but our adventure that day just goes to show that strange things can be found close to home...

Brittney