Deep Conditioning Your Hair Is The Key To Life

After a long, beautiful sleep in my brand new 400 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets (jay kay they're from Ikea), I realized how much I take the little things for granted. Like actually everything. 

The hectic life of a CreComm student has made me forget to "stop and smell the roses". I thought of all the little things that happen/I do in my day to day life and realize how lucky I am. So, (get ready for this)...I've created a list (YUP another list) of all the "little things" I do everyday that I don't realize how much I appreciate. 

Okay here. we. go.

1) I'm one of those people who listen to tunes when I get ready for the day. So when I become obsessed with one song, I can hit repeat and listen to it all day er day. The fact I can listen to my song of the day over and over is fantastic.

2) My dog. Cliche, but really though. She's in love with me and acts like I'm the Queen of Sheba even though I spend maybe 20 minutes with her in a 24 hour day. I should start being the person my dog thinks I am.

3) Washing my hair. Okay so because my thick, long luscious locks take forever to dry/wash/everything, I maybe wash them twice a week. But, being literally too busy to wash my hair, I can now appreciate deep conditioning my hair and how it solves all my life problems. Jk.

4) My Visa. I abuse it so horrendously but without it I'd be nothing. My Visa is my boyfriend.

5) The fact I have a great job whilst I'm in school. (It makes up for the abuse of my Visa.)

6) OHEMGEE COFFEE. I always knew I loved it, but now I realize how much I really love it and can satisfy my addiction at any time.

7) My sister (why is she number 7..? Unclear.) Anyways, she's so much more than an annoyance. She's my unconditional confidante. I vent to her, cry to her (they say big girls don't cry but hey..). Please don't tell her, but she's my most valuable thing/person in my life.

8) My iPhone. Self explanatory really.

9) Oh god my bed. Sleep. Like when I have the time to hit my sheets it's pure bliss.

10) My car. I basically live out of it. It accepts me for who I am.

There's so much more, but I feel ten is a good median. I'm so lucky in life even though I don't realize it. You probably don't either.

So please, stop and smell the roses and realize what you have and enjoy every minute of it. Go out and enjoy this sunny Saturday and make every second count.

Sincerely,

Ingrid

Giving my thanks to Thanksgiving

About twice a year I get "serious" about cleansing my body with kale smoothies and leaning out my body by dreadful hours of cardio. This weekend is most definitely not one of those times.

Thanksgiving. Ah how j'adore this holiday! And it's not the turkey that's got me excited. Come to think of it, I never actually put the bird on my plate. No, Thanksgiving is so much more than that. So much more. It's a weekend that feels so whimsical and ....chic? to me. 

So I've concocted a list of why Thanksgiving has me all giddy and abnormally "peppy":

1) The side dishes. My mother being the Parisienne chef she is has an "all or nothing" attitude towards cooking. There are no beyond basic mashed potatoes or ...ew, cabbage rolls served here (sorry to all those who drool over those). Like, super no. We start off with delectable appetizers/canapes such as baked brie with caramelized onions topped with fruit and nuts. And what replaces the mashed taters? Mashed sweet potatoes baked with brown sugar topped with walnuts and cranberries.

2) Not that I need an excuse, but I do use the holidays as an excuse to dress up and chic myself out. Thanksgiving is my all time fave because the weather is perfect for any outfit and, like duh fall colours. 

3) Wine. (Self explanatory.)

4) The ambiance of the entire holiday itself. I love how the family gets together, how kooky everyone is, and how we all laugh at everything that really isn't anything. For those of you who've seen Gossip Girl (my spirit animal show), their New York Thanksgiving is perfect. Filled with food, relatives who've had too much apple cider/wine, and of course, the fab outfits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2Q7jPOMUhA

5) P.u.m.p.k.i.n. P.i.e.

6) Or, my mother's butternut squash tarte.

7) My family decks our entire house out (okay my mom does) and it just makes the house feel magical.

8) Weather permitting, and looks like this weekend is beyond permitting, we spend an entire day outside. Raking leaves, ruining the piles by jumping in them, a walk to the river, lunch on the deck...it's so perfect.

So, I'm now in search of a dress/skirt with some major elasticity, taste testing whatever my mother has in the oven, and enjoy the weather. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

Sincerely, 

Ingrid 

My Heart Belongs in Paris

So, for those of you who are fashion virgins, last week was the week for every fashionista: Paris Fashion Week (PFW). Sadly, my invitation was lost in the mail so I was unable to attend. I'm a little resentful because that's super rude of Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel), Olivier Rousteing (Balmain), and Riccardo Tisci (Givenchy) to not have a front row seat with my name on it. A pair of shoes and a handbag from all three will suffice and I'll be over it. Jk. Not really though.

Semi jokes aside, I'm actually obsessed with fashion, style, and design. The best way I can describe it is (get ready for a t-a-c-k-y cliche) : I have a passion for fashion. 

I remember 12 year old me stealing my mother's Vogues and Instyles and taking in every single detail. I made fashion boards (basically cut out every to-die for outfit and plastered it onto cardboard) and forced my father to "artfully" nail them onto my wall so I could stare at them. I'm not lying, I actually did that. 

Now, my walls are "fashion board" free and I have grown into my own style. Sadly, my visa is in fact NOT limitless *sobs*, and I hate laugh at my bank account, so I am unable to satisfy my fashion needs with new purchases. BUT! Thanks to magazines and Instagram, I can create new looks with clothes I already have. 

So, in lieu and paying a little homage to my beloved PFW, I threw together three looks I find suitable to show my face in:

I transitioned the dress/blazer combo into a dinner with extra accessories to make it pop.

Standing in my closest practically crying because I have no clothes to wear from ALL the millions of clothes I have, I made a beyond basic black dress into this .

This is top is a trooper because whilst wearing this outfit, my poor white blouse suffered a Merlot spill, but was salvaged.

I really like to take pride in the way I dress. It may not be Paris Fashion Week worthy, but wearing a detailed, simple outfit can really spruce up your day. Oh, and I also one day plan on attending PFW, to scratch off my bucket list. Bissous bissous!

Sincerely, 

Ingrid