Helter Skelter

Hi all!

A not so quick, disorderly run-down of my life in the last few weeks:

• The news of one of my very best friends moving to Madagascar for a year.  Awesome for her, but taking a serious toll on my emotional stability and in turn, my wallet (see: appalling Nordstrom's credit card bill this month)
• Two back-to-back business trips on opposite sides of the world.  From a sprawling, vibrant metropolis (where I saw more couples engaging in serious PDA in broad daylight than in your average dark sweaty bar basement) that is Mexico City to a sleepy, Victorian Dublin whose architecture and feel drew inspiration from a combination of Mary Poppins and King's Landing (Game of Thrones nerd, here)
• An incredible and physically demanding vacation to Hawaii that left me with sore spots in muscles I didn't know I had (see: surfing, hiking, waterfall trekking, camping, zumba, dance floor battles: won, and battles with violent billowing ocean waves: lost)
• And finally, what brings me to the brain child of this post... a trip to Miami this weekend to visit a boy.  

Long story long, I met said boy through a twist of fate plane ride to Miami last year (a birthday trip with friends) during which I happened to sit next to some of his friends who were also visiting from the DC area.  We all bonded over a $200 airplane alcohol tab, and decided to meet up at some point during our trip.  Plane boys, plane boys' Miami friends (introduce: said boy), and my friends all hit it off over the weekend (fun fact: I actually ended up having a lust affair with one of the plane boys in DC, lasting nothing short of a month... oops).  I returned a few months later to be my best friends date to her sister's UMiami graduation, where we and Miami-based friends rekindled our drunken bond.  One Rhianna ballad on a dark dance floor and countless Patron shots was a lethal combination resulting in... well, you can probably guess, my intelligent readers.  And therein was born the most strange, all-too casual yet emotionally involved "relationship" (for lack of a better term) with said boy whose flame re-ignites with every trip back (okay so I frequent Miami a little too excessively).  The text messages escalated in quantity, we even started being real humans and talking on the phone (!).  And a few months ago, he came up to DC (albeit a few of his friends also happened to be in town for a work conference) and stayed with me.  And now here I am, making yet another trip to my spirit city... this time, with no other intention other than to visit him.  

So, as you can see I am in quite the predicament... not surrounding the fact that the future of this undefined whatever is looming over my head this weekend, or that the colossal zit on my chin will be the first to greet him when he picks me up at the airport, but rather: the contents of my suitcase (this is, after all, a clothing-inspired blog) and the outfit choices that took an anxiety-ridden me until 2:30AM to perfect. 

Normally, packing for Miami takes me mere minutes and I abide by two simple rules: 

1. Less is more
2. If it ain't neon, it ain't on

But, this is no ordinary girls trip to South Beach... said boy lives in a casual suburb of Miami populated by beach bars and recent graduates, and he rarely frequents night clubs (wouldn't be my lifestyle of choice, but to each his own).  Most importantly, I will be meeting his friends for the first time.  Male and female friends.  I'm fairly confident around immature twenty-something boys and can very easily hold my own, but the twenty-something girls whose mother-bird nesting territory I'm invading is a whole new can of worms (no pun intended).  Girls judge.  I know because I'm one of them.  So my challenge was finding a happy medium between sultry and classy, which was particularly impossible to find in my closet containing kaleidoscopic spandex skirts and crop tops to one side, and mannish business-casual wear to the other.  Literally. Nothing in the middle. 

After much panic induced by the thought of the unkempt, product-free, boy-occupied living space I will be inhabiting and a couple Coronas (we were out of wine), (and this actually wasn't the wisest decision since it severely counteracted my productivity) I was able to put together a few functioning outfits.  Featuring none ofher than some of my Pleasure Doing Business skirts (they just looked so lonely I couldn't leave them) and loose silky tops (these from Nordstrom I have in several colors and are fantastic), with either Jack Rogers or gladiator sandals (man repellers but I don't care) and a couple pairs of light-colored jeans (by which I'm sure I will approach death from heatstroke while wearing them in the swampy South Florida humidity)-- Zara has a great yellow pair here.  

So needless to say I'm halfway confident with my selections, and will take it upon alcohol to make up for the other half insecurity-- cheers!  I'll leave you with a few screen shots of my travels since this post was not so visually appealing, and maybe I'll scrounge up some weekend pics to post later.  Wish me luck! 

xoxo,

GG

Sunset in Kauai

Distrito Federal, Mexico City

Dublin by twilight

Scenes from Chapel Hill

Reporting live from the quaintest town on the east coast.  Working from home this week (my real home, that is, in North Carolina) before heading off to Mexico (for work, that is, not pleasure) and loving it!  Hope everyone's having a fantastic weekend, a packing/travel post to come...

 

 

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The Pencil Skirt

Monday outfit inspiration always comes hours late.  So as I sit here dressed like a corporate troll, wanting to redeem myself for the rest of the week, a few looks are making their way into my mental runway.  Specifically, I'd like to put the JCrew No. 2 Pencil Skirt in the spotlight.  I own one in a pretty fuchsia color that they made last season, and just purchased another in the "citron" color.  They're well worth the $$ (and are now on sale, even), don't wrinkle easily, are thick enough to not expose your underwear lines (this is for you, my full-butt brief enthusiast friends who shall not be mentioned), and are overall very flattering no matter what your shape and size. I want to have one in every color of the rainbow.

One of my faves from Kendie Everyday

Sweet Thangs from Sverige

Happy Monday people!

So let's talk-a de sveedish.  I imagine Stockholm to be one of my spirit cities.  And not only because of the supernatural house music scene, or because the citizens are bewitchingly, Cullen family-esque, beautiful. In fact, my mom has some Swedish lineage, raised us eating krumkake (that's actually Norwegian, but my grandmother was from Sweden and adopted by my Norwegian great-grandparents-- so it's complicated) and observed the traditional (though unofficial) Swedish holiday celebrating St. Lucia.  As you can imagine, these tidbits of Nordic culture peppered on top of the heavy Latin American influence made for quite the colorful childhood.

So there you have it, the recipe for inspiration behind this post... enjoy!

My favorite Swedish friend at the Nats game a couple weeks ago:

Cornelia loves sports.
Jacket: 80s vintage from stepmother's closet
Top: JCrew
Jeans: Cheap Monday
Flats: JCrew
Accessories: Chanel wallet, Mikimoto pearls

My favorite look from my favorite Swedish blog (shouts to the Knockaround-esque sunglasses!):

Peep more looks from this blog here

And last but not least, the lady herself: my late grandmother Lucille Nelson.  "Farmour" means grandmother (well, specifically grandmother on the father's side) in Swedish, and my aunt insists that her son's (my cousin) children call her by that name.  The little ones' initial confusion was delightful, and I'm vacillating between having my own grandchildren call me the same, since it rolls off the tongue a little easier than "abuelita." #foreigngirlproblems

A luxuriant Lucy in her late twenties.  If JCrew had an ad campaign in the 1930s...

  
Over & out,
Gyps

What To Pack For Your Summer Vacay

I came across this Barneys New York production a few minutes ago on one of my blogs that's further feeding into my vacation-craving current mental state.  If I could style a wealthy ($695 Guiseppe Zanotti sandals? Yeah, or I could just pay half of my rent this month...) 28 to 30-something I would hands-down recommend all of these looks (they aren't nearly as neon and color-popping for me, personally though).  While my vacation dinners take place in the furthest possible venue from a yacht club (think bucket of Coronas, fried seafood, and white plastic patio furniture... and maybe a Hawaiian shirt-clad band playing bad Jimmy Buffet covers on a worn-out wooden deck) I love the flowy, neutral theme this lookbook has going on (plus, A+ for production value, you can almost feel the breeze on that terrace as you're watching it).  I'll definitely be drawing some inspiration for some warm weather work looks.

Long Hair Don't Care

This getup isn't work appropriate whatsoever, but el bossman is out of town so I'm letting my hair down a bit...

Dress: Elizabeth and James striped Claudia dress (borrowed from roomie)-- easily one of my top 10 favorite dresses of all time.  It's soft and the fabric isn't too heavy.  The red and navy striped version is now on sale and I'm considering refinancing my life in order to obtain it.
Bag: JCrew. I kindof hate it.  It gets dirty a lot and is super heavy, and was overpriced.  A total impulse buy... It is also giving me back spasms.  But being a self-proclaimed bag lady, I'm pleased with the amount of stuff it fits ( aka nothing short of a small child)
Scarf: Abandoned at my house by one of my bffs a few weekends ago. Hi Ale!
Cardigan: Random store in Cape Town, probably ridiculously inexpensive-- as was the cost of living overall. Le sigh.
Boots: Frye
Earrings: A boutique in my hometown.  They are a staple of mine, and come in a bunch of fun colors. I will own all of them at some point in my life.  (Peep them here)

More later, tootles!

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink

I didn't end up wearing this to work because Mother Nature is pissing her pantsuit all over our nation's capital today, but really digging the white blazer over black outfit that's a seemingly ubiquitous look for springtime these days.
 

Blazer: Urban (get one in every color, they're superior to all other boyfriend blazers)
Tank: borrowed from roomie
Pants: AG Satin Jeggings, comfier than your boyfriend's sweatpants
Shoes: Target! See post below.
& this electric pink Revlon lipstick I found at CVS-- it's super, but a total man repeller say my guy friends.

UnTarget-able finds!

So besides the male cast of the Jersey Shore, puppies, and bacon, one more thing that tugs at my heartstrings is Target shopping.  Many a gem I've found rummaging through those disorganized clothing racks while dodging crying babies in bulky red shppping carts outstretching their baby hands much too near my personal bubble. Let me entertain you with my most recent finds:

I needed an inexpensive, colorful watch to keep track of lost time, particularly at music festivals since 'tis now the season.  Copped this one for $12.99!  Totally digging this color.

The yellow ones I acquired last year, and I'm obsessed with these pink snakeskin-ish loafers... both under $20

So I've discovered dry shampoo's best kept secret... Suave brand! Smells like (a sexy cabana boy) Banana Boat sunscreen (but not overwhelmingly) and works as well as better than your standard high-end brand that punches your wallet in the throat (this one was a little under $4!). These gypsy rapunzel tresses of mine are now strictly Suave-loyal.

Essie polishes being available at drug stores and department stores like Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and... beyond... is a complete game-changer.  My one is partying in Marabou the rest in Turquoise and Caicos.

I hope you all find love in a Target place like I have. Their bathing suits and sports bras (I have one in every color) are also bangin'.  Adios :)

May I Please...

Happy Tuesday, thang-doers!  The roomies and I are whisking ourselves off to Kauai, Hawaii for 9 days during Memorial Day, and I've got waterfalls, salty waves (both in hair, and ocean), beach bonfires, and sand-in-your-bathing-suit-bottom on the brain.  Peep my May wish list (although most items are sold out in my size. Whomp):

 I won't be getting the top, since triangle tops diminish what little chest I have-- but maybe with a plain green bandeau from Vic's. (Piperlime.com)

Santa Fe Gypsy-isms (Piperlime.com)

Not big enough for a weekender, but a legit overnighter/beach bag.  Snagged this one at a cheap $22.50! (Forever21)

(Shopbop.com)

(Shopbop.com)

I'm torn between these two... the braiding is funky on the first, but I think I like the second pink color better. Please send help.

38 days and counting...

Nepali Coast, Kauai....Simply edenic.