Life in Style

I think I've figured out the secret to recreating photos from an American Apparel and/or Urban Outfitters spread. Step one, wait until it's dark out. Walk through a neighborhood without many street lamps and maybe find a not-so-dark park. Bring a good camera and then turn on the flash. Put a girl in front of the lens with a pretty rad outfit on and there you go.  Short and simple. Now scroll... 

I'm usually one to criticize the town I live in, for the typical things of it being lame and there being nothing to do. It just has never felt that special to me. I've lived here for 19 years, and yes, just now I'm starting to accept and possibly appreciate it.  There's this little downtown situated near the train tracks that never really appealed to me because of it's odd shops, and few restaurants, but when I went behind the buildings and saw all the old brick walls and hidden staircases I became in awe of it. It's a great place to take photos with all the cool backdrops to choose from. Very cool and very vintage, who knew!? Taking the place where you live for granted is probably a big mistake but I think I'm starting to come around. It may have taken 19 years, but some thing just take time. I'm learning to appreciate it now and that's all that matters. 

Well, my awesome three week streak of blog posts came to a halt last week when...gasp...I ran out of ideas. It happens but rest assured I'll brainstorm again soon when I return to the right mindset that helps come up with random outfits. Today though, I decided to switch it up and post some photos I took over the weekend while I was giving a tour of the city to my friend who was visiting from Arizona.  You all already know my love for this city so I won't go too much into it again. The photos below though are some of my new favorites and hopefully will make you want to visit too! Enjoy. Chicago French Market. Buckingham Fountain. Positive Messages. Lake Michigan Street Art. Street Graffiti. Bridge Graffiti 1. Navy Pier Ferris Wheel. AT&T Plaza Bridge Graffiti 2. Swings on the Pier. Willis Tower. Cloud Gate. Trump Tower.

I'm pretty used to being alone and it's really great because you get a lot of time to do whatever you want! Since summer started, I've been getting back into reading. What's different this time around is my new found desire to read non-fiction. I've discovered that I have a very curious, and analytical personality, and with the huge variety of topics out there, reading seemed like the best way to find all the answers. It's super nerdy but it's who I am. Throughout the summer, I've slowly began to learn new things about myself and it's very refreshing. There is still so much more to understand and learn but if I keep discovering and recognizing my passions and following through with them, I'll think I'll end up really happy.  Peace. Love. Hope. We can do this.

This is a belated birthday post for not only me but for my blog! I just discovered that I began this blog June 22nd 2013 and my birthday is June 23rd. So I thought it made sense to combine the two! I went over to my Aunt's house the night of my birthday for a small little cookout. I played wiffle ball in this dress, just saying. Obviously the photos below were taken at Starbucks but that was on a later date.  As for my blog, I can't believe it's been a whole year!  Of course I didn't post every single week or every single month, but the fact that I'm still doing it today totally counts for something. Following through is often challenging but when you're doing something you enjoy it becomes a whole lot easier. Happy Belated Birthday Life in Style! We've got an exciting year ahead of us. A big thank you to all of you who read this! I know it's nothing professional or super interesting but hey, it passes the time. I love all

Happy Fourth of July! But more importantly, Happy Birthday America. I hope everyone can take today to think about how truly awesome our country is, and put aside the negative criticism for a little while.  We're a pretty amazing country when it comes down to it, and I am honored to be an American. I love this country from sea to shining sea.  Enjoy the rest of your night, and the rest of your weekend! Light up the sky tonight with all your hopes and dreams. Oh, and maybe some fireworks :) Photo Credit: Mia Balasi