daily outfit: the “this tunic reminds of me of the time i was in Chicago & met some of my favorite bloggers IRL” edition.

sometimes, i can’t believe that a few months ago, i was up in Chicago gossiping & gabbing over a delicious brunch with some of the prettiest & wittiest girls in all the land.

& that’s when i feel real fortunate that i have this freaky memory that automatically connects life happenings to pieces of clothing.

case in point, this silky Amanda Uprichard neon pink, feather printed tunic.

with just one quick glance, the memories start flooding my mind.

i could tell you all about wearing it during the two-person presentation i gave in my Romantics class at K-State,

or the time i wore it out to lunch paired up with skinny blue cords & tall brown Frye boots, 

or the aforementioned brunch outting up in Chicago where I took the opportunity to get photos snapped with both Emily & Alishan.

i’m not sure why my brain naturally connects clothing to memories,

but i’ve never objected to the randomness & obscure talent (?) that occasionally freaks people out….not one bit! 

• Amanda Uprichard tunic
• Gray Gap skinny cords
• Gray Frye boots
• J.Crew metallic headband

let’s talk about Indianapolis for a minute.

Indianapolis, up until last week, always represented this middle ground in my life, between where i had been & where i was going.

ever since i moved here in 1993, it was just a place to be because i didn’t have a choice otherwise.

after high school, i immediately moved away-to get out, to escape, & to find a “better” life.

after undergrad, i returned home a little bit humbler & still pretty indecisive about where i really wanted to be.

after working downtown for a couple years, i chose to move out West to Kansas in hopes of obtaining an MA & a handsome cowboy. (one of those two things actually happened). 

after grad school, i returned to this fair city a little smarter & a whole lot more open-minded about my future & the natural feelings attached to it.

i always knew that Indianapolis was an awesome city, 

a city i thought held the potential to be my new home base,

a city where much vast opportunity lies,

& a city that allows me to remain closer to the family i had insisted moving away from for years & years at a time.

the thing is, i wasn’t sure i wanted it to be mine.

so, i spent the last eight months applying for jobs elsewhere: Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, New York City, you name it, i applied there.

but the truth is,

after much soul searching during those same eight months

(& little reply in the form of job offers from other cities),

i realized there is no place i am supposed to be than right here in Indianapolis,

a city that offers great sporting events (hello, football players & hello, Super Bowl!!!)

a city that offers fabulous entertainment

a city that offers some of the best Sunday sermons a person can experience

a city that offers delicious dining 

a city that offers a mid-way point between my favorite people in their own favorite locations

i can’t wait to really start living out each & every day in this city,

there really is so much to explore

(& so much that i have been wrongfully neglecting for the past almost twenty years).

& with that, my Indianapolis adventures shall start today!

(image via)

new job (!!!).

when i was hired almost two months ago at current job, i was weary about ordering business cards.

i knew there’d be an explanation & this last week, it was naturally unveiled.

you see, at current job, business cards are a necessity.

like in a lot of jobs, they’re used to drum up a personal-business-centered clientele.

“My name’s Brooke & here’s my card if you need anything”

“if you ever want to make an appointment, here’s my contact information”

“thank you! & if there’s any other way i can be of assistance, here’s my card.”

“oh, you have a handsome & successful son? give him my card.”

“need a personal stylist? i’m at your service! please, take my card.“ 

i am supposed to use some sort of “pick me, pick me!” angle, like those listed above, on a daily basis.

however, to be quite honest, i’ve never felt ready to place my name atop a card connecting my name to said current job.

it’s not that i don’t like current job or that i’m ashamed to work there, it was something greater than that. 

& as trivial as it may sound,

like most hesitations in life, there’s usually a reason that soon follows, & this time around, it was no different.

you see, after a four-part interview session with a new-to-me company, i landed what i will call a New-to-me Job (!!!).

New Job is right here in Indianapolis & New Job only requires me to be on-site Monday thru Thursday (!!!).

New Job doesn’t require me to wear a pencil skirt & heels to the office,

New Job appreciates individuality when it comes to work attire,

New Job comes with a gym membership, 

New Job appreciates my Master’s degree & my love for blogging & all things nerdy & high tech,

& New Job encourages employees to take vacation days (well, hello, New Job!).

New Job is already giving me life….a fresh, new look at life.

& frankly, even though I don’t start New Job until the 13th of February,

i cannot wait to put my name atop their business cards.

with a whole list of other benefits & perks that i cannot wait to experience,

i feel absolutely no hesitation to be apart of New Job’s clientele tactics.

it’s something oh, so little, but man, oh man am i excited to utilize their cards!

(i think this is a good sign, don’t you?)

New Year, New Job.

i wasn’t annoyed when i woke up to the bright sunshine beaming through my wooden, window shades,

because today is for a fresh start, a fresh sprit, & a fresh attitude.

& experiencing a golden wake-up was just the way to begin my day.

daily outfit: the “i get compliments on the cheapest things” edition.

there are days when i receive compliments on pieces of clothing that i never thought would garner much attention.

for example, this army green Old Navy surplus vest.

it’s not that i don’t think it’s worth a second look (hello, i did buy the thing), but it’s always so unpredictable as to what will draw people into a conversation about fashion.

my purple & green Tommy Hilfiger plaid button-down? nope.

my Gap black skinny jeans, cuffed up because they’re actually long enough for my stems? nope.

my silver cap-toed Jimmy Choo flats? nope.

my curl wand-ed hair? well, yes, but only one.

however, my 15 buck, on sale, one size too big but who cares because it was 15 bucks vest from Old Navy…yes!

no matter what, to me, a compliment is a compliment, they’re always welcome…

…especially at 9 p.m. on Friday night while still at work.

this vince linen, lightweight, striped, infinity scarf is spring-inspired goodness.

to fuel my list-loving-organized-somewhat-type-A-personality-when-dealing-with-to-do-lists, this is perfection!

[via: emphasisadded: texturism: sebastianwaters]

in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a little lot brighter. ((& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.))

• Chunky scarves. this week, scarves have been a staple in my daily outfit selections. possibly because the weather has been ridiculously cold & wet & dreary.  thankfully, there are sites like gilt, target, shopbop, cusp, & ruelala to feed my scarf-loving addiction. (right, Erin?)
• Spring inspiration. i’m not necessarily ready for the spring weather, i’m just ready to get back into spring break 2k2 shape. oh, those were the days.  bahamas, banana boat rides, khalik beer….if only i could go back, if only for a day…
• Working out hiatus. while this isn’t helping in the spring fitness goals routine mentality, it has been nice to take a week off in order to get more sleep. you see, most days, i wake up to the sound of an iPhone alarm, i hit snooze, then convince myself to head down to the gym to partake in an early morning cardio session. well, this week, i opted to wake up to the sound of an iPhone alarm feeling well-rested & ready to reach for that first cup of coffee for the taste vs. for the caffeine jolt. it really has been quite lovely, but the real routine needs to resume on Monday. it must. it will.
• Mama. duh.
• The little girl who needed a drink from the fountain. Kneeling down to give you a boost was the highlight of my day. you were so precious & i needed to be reminded that offering to help, if only a knee to use as a mini-step ladder, was quite frankly the easiest & most rewarding task i performed all week!
• Changes are a coming. stay tuned, my friends.

when we celebrate, we often do it with food.

for this reason, & a few others, i made the executive decision to have some cupcakes from the glorious Georgetown Cupcakes of TLC’s DC Cupcake fame shipped to the house last week.

from time to time, i have stopped changing channels in order to watch Sophie & Katherine whip up their creative creations on their hit cable tv show, 

so when i found out that Mama would be receiving her favorite teacher award, i debated whether or not to surprise her with a dozen, delicious cups full of cake.

after a firm recommendation from one of my favorite DC residents (& customer of the beloved bakery), Miss Kaitlin, i knew it would be a welcomed gesture by someone craving a sweet treat, 

the verdict?

i can say, without a doubt, that after carefully sampling each & every flavored cupcake, i knew it was the smartest decision i made that week!

i totally recommend having a signature pink box delivered to your doorstep…& definitely sample every cupcake, you won’t regret it!

daily outfit: the “plaid & sequins” edition.

shocking combo, i know.

but in my defense, it’s comfortable & easy & the perfect pick-me-up for a dreary, indiana day.

• J.Crew sequin sweatshirt
• Tommy Hilfiger button down
• Stem tank
• J Brand twill skinnies
• Frye boots

today, in four photos: 

• a warm, animal printed scarf from Tar-jay
• a freshly sparkled David Yurman ring & a coat of OPI red-berry-huedpolish
• Tory Burch purple suede Reva flats (& Hue supposedly “hidden” foot liners)
• a snap-shot of sleepy dog who is currently on nap #2 for the day

this pretty lady has been teaching me since the day i was born.

from crucial daily tasks like how to tie bunny ears on my lace-up shoes, how to brush my hair back into the perfect high ponytail, how to properly pucker my lips when applying a shot of color, how to correctly apply mascara (you know, with your mouth wide open), how to write a perfectly shaped B, how to sing from the gut instead of the throat, how to fake the perfect salon-bought manicure, & how to cover up a mis-hap with the unruly nail polish remover (hello, coaster!), 

to important life lessons like actions mean more than words, hard work will always pay off, a good attitude means everything, never give up, a good education can never be taken away from you, don’t compare yourselves to others as you never know their background, retail therapy can make a difference (just be smart about each purchase), stopping at starbucks [twice a day] for a venti latte is totally justifiable, be a true woman of integrity, never give up on your dreams, fight like hell & appreciate the victory, don’t ever forget your family-your real cheerleaders in this thing we call life, laughter is the best remedy-as is ice cream-as is chocolate, waffles need to be consumed at least once a month, saying i love you never gets old if you truly mean it, 

& finally, she has taught me the true value of being a daughter of a mother who loves to her core, who always favors kindness, who treats strangers like friends, who would give anything for her family, who stops what she’s doing at the drop of a hat to lend a listening ear, who spends more non-billable hours in her classroom than any other teacher i know, & who loves each & every student like they are her own.

for all of these reasons (& so many more), i am proud to announce that this woman, my lovely mother, Mama J, has won TEACHER OF THE YEAR in our quaint city made up of eight schools & two hundred & forty one teachers!!!

it is a title i personally bestow upon her each & every year, but one i am thrilled is officially attached to her long list of accolades by someone (read: ahem, many anonymous voters) other than yours truly!

love you, mama!

besos,

B

(picture taken in a little Nebraska hotel, June, 2010)

of course, i adore all three.

emphasisadded:

3 patterned tops that I would have very much enjoyed to find hanging in my closet this morning…

Aqua (with dark denim and peep-toe heels, perhaps)
Equipment (click thru to see this print up close.  It’s cute.)
Diane von Furstenberg (insanely adorable, right?  I might actually need to buy this one.)

i like you, you happy-printed tunic. (you’re shocked, right?) 

available from Fossil…as in, the time-piece company.

it started with a cup of a coffee, a little bit of Almond Joy creamer, & the top half of a dunkin donut maple-frosted donut.

then, there was an emotional sermon where the minister insisted, “you are beautiful, you are beautiful, you are beautiful!”  after the third declaration, it finally set in.

there was the grande pike with a little non-fat milk & a packet of raw sugar on the way home,

the scrambled egg whites & the bowl of mixed berries,

a foggy drive into work that set a very calm mood.

there were six hours spent in flats after too many consecutive days in heels, 

a cute boy with boyishly handsome curls wearing elbow patches on a gray cashmere sweater,

a deep breath in & out, accepting that work sometimes has to happen on days other than mondays through fridays,

there was a fountain diet coke pick-me-up as i headed home around seven p.m.,

a greeting from a furry puppy who continues to warm my heart,

there was a grab of the barbecue baked lays only to be paired up with fancy sloppy joe mix heaped on a lightly buttered & toasted, freshly made whole wheat bun,

there was the realization that this world does not revolve around me, & sometimes, it takes said furry puppy needing a walk in the middle of winter to remind me of this minor detail.

there was the bundling of a parka, the throwing on of a hand knit cream-colored scarf, & a walk to the clubhouse & back, 

there was a cup of diet hot chocolate prepared in my favorite chicago-themed mug, 

a trip up the carpeted stairs,

the crawling underneath four layers,

the propping up of pillows,

the turning on of a tivo,

the selecting of two weeks of Gossip Girl episodes & one episode of Happy Endings,

& the realization that all of my favorite loved ones were under one roof at the end of the day.

this is what sundays are made of, this is my unpredictable life.