can I graduate?

Some senior pictures I took for my younger sister's friend last weekend at a park in my hometown. She was so sweet and not awkward in front of the camera at all! We took about 400 pictures and she was able to have a genuine smile the whole time--I was jealous, because my smile tends to look fake in pictures sometimes! I hate it. She also has beautiful hair, which was blowing in the wind constantly--love it! Anyway, I had a great time taking & editing these, and hope to do more in the future.

Remember when you were about to graduate high school? For me, it was the best feeling in the world. It signals the end of the time when you're life is all figured out for you and is the first time you get a chance to decide your own fate. Scary, but so freeing.

my mother's garden

I haven't posted in a week--my apologies! My academic life has been crazy, & I've been sick. But here is a taste of the almost 70 degree weather we had when I was at my parent's home last Saturday. We grilled, made fresh guacamole, played outside, ate Mexican food on a balcony overlooking downtown Seattle, and chased my beautiful puppy around all day. I love to photograph my mother's garden!

















I also love to borrow my sister's clothes when I go home, as she isn't paying bills yet & therefore has money to spend on new spring apparel...ah, to be young! ;)

if I had a million dollars

These Miu Miu shoes make me want to faint/pull a Carrie Bradshaw & not eat for a month so I can buy them all! (I mean in the first couple seasons, when she had no money). Seriously, these are the most beautifully designed shoes I've seen in a while--drooooool. Pictures are from style.com, but I found them at Sea of Shoes.

the jacket that goes with everything

Raleigh and I walked along the boulevard and studied on the bay yesterday, and I made him snap a few photos of me for another outfit post! I love mixing gray, white, and denim together--and this jacket is one of my most favorite purchases of the last year. It goes with almost anything! Also, I recently found this nail polish in one of my purses after searching for it since my birthday night in December; I was so stoked!




Jacket: Urban Outfitters
Shirt: H&M
Shorts: Forever21
Shoes: Thrifted


This little guy trotted by while we were taking pictures--look at those precious fat rolls on his neck! so adorable & ugly at the same time.

More signs of Spring

although the weather is back to a grey drizzle today, these pictures from last week are proof that the sun has shown its face lately & that I should not dispair! I love how happy people in the Northwest get when it's bright outside.




I found these kind strangers on campus, singing & strumming under the sun.

fresh to death

At the risk of over-simplifying things, I feel like it is pretty safe to say that most guys have a pretty basic template of clothing: jeans & a t-shirt, perhaps a sweater or hoodie if it's cold out. Obviously there are other components such as shorts and jackets, but that is the basic male outfit, right? So, if a guy wants to stand out a bit or add some of his own touch to his ensemble, he's got to work a little bit harder at it than us girls may have to, and that is where accessories come in. I talked to several guys I know who put in that extra little creative touch with things like hats, shoes, belts, glasses, etc, to add a little bit of freshness to their style. Here are my findings.
Raleigh:



Raleigh definitely has great style (one of the 23814 reasons that I love him) and he isn't afraid to experiment with different pieces. I could do a whole post about the crazy t-shirts he wears and all of his interesting jackets, etc, but that's for another time. He also has a love for shoes - he has a ton, but I just photographed my three favorite pairs. Raleigh's taken to wearing backward caps lately, making him look a little mischievious, which I love. The necklace was a Christmas present from me last year (from Urban Outfitters) that he wears everyday.

Chris:



I ran into Chris while photographing someone else, but his bag caught my eye: a great alternative to the average backpack.

Ryland:



Ryland has eclectic style, the type to wear short-shorts one day & a tweed blazer the next; or perhaps the two paired together. I thought his watch was really interesting, and though the helmet and longboard might not seem like accessories, I would argue that they are! The longboard, when carried, shows the bottom design which definitely adds some color to his all-over image. And the helmet, well, he insisted that it was an accessory, so that's that.

Branden:



Branden's style isn't in-your-face trendy; it's more subtle, with attention to small details (for example, the cuffed jeans paired with the shoes). I've seen him wear these shoes with argyle socks before, which was a pretty precious touch to his outfit. His beanie + glasses combo also complemented his jeans/button-up combo.

Michael:



Michael almost always has a hat on, even if it's paired with a button-up shirt or cardigan, which I love: it's his signature look. The bracelets are also a subtle touch that add an interesting dimension to an everyday look.

Patrick:



Pat's ensemble was a great example of how an accessory can spice up an otherwise plain outfit: he was wearing the classic white tee & jean template, but his shoes were the something special that took his ensemble to the next level.

Peter:



Peter is definitely one of the most out-there friends I have, fashion-wise. This hat and sweater combination is pretty normal for him: Peter is definitely not one to shy away from mixing all sorts of colors and prints. Usually he's barefoot (as he was when I first took his picture that day) but I was impressed when I saw what shoes he had with him. The sweater is pretty eye-catching on its own, but when the hat and shoes are added to the outfit, it's a whole new ballgame.

Bryce



Bryce has a really nice camera & some sick lenses, and I love the case he carries them in. My camera case, though bejeweled, is a boring black one from Best Buy so I'm jealous of this vintage-looking one that is both stylish and functional. It makes him look distinguished, don't you think?

Elliott



Elliott definitely has some fresh style, and unique as well. His glasses are the classic Ray Bans & his belt a classic leather, but his other accessories are definitely new twists. The gold watch he's so proud of not only tells the time but has a full calculator on it, and his boombox that he usually wears on his shoulder makes sure he gets attention wherever he goes.

Last but not least Ryan, a friend from growing up, sent me a picture of his favorite accessory: the tie. His look says formal but a bit laid-back at the same time, which I think is great!



I had a lot of fun looking for & photographing the different ways guys use accessories to show their personalities through their clothing. Thanks to everyone who let me pry into their closets + invade their personal space to get these photos! Well done, men.