Sunday Song :)

Yoü and I by Lady Gaga

Not sure how I feel about the video, but I've loved this song ever since I saw her perform it at a random concert in a youtube video. SO glad she decided to record it :) It's so personal, and that's one of my favorite things about Gaga. She doesn't withhold anything from her fans.

Say what you will about Lady Gaga, but she loves her fans. She supports equal rights for others and isn't afraid to be herself - even when it causes controversy. She's so out of this world, and I think that's why people are so drawn to her. She's comfortable in her own skin, and that allows her fans to escape reality when they're listening to her music, at least for a little while.

It's like my mom's always said. Being yourself gives others permission to be themselves as well. Any other Little Monsters out there?

Have a lovely Sunday night!

Business casual? No problem!

I really like being involved on campus, but that involves a lot of interviews, dinners and events that require formal (and professional!) attire. I was thrilled to get an interview this week for a campus organization I'm interested in, until I realized that all of my business casual things were at home! Luckily one of the perks of being in a sorority is having 40 closets to borrow from, so I was able to scrounge something up pretty easily. Anyway, this is what I came up with:

I decided to go with the simple button-down (in KU blue!), black skirt and black pumps look. Here's some foolproof rules about business dress that I've learned throughout the years and from the career-focused honors society that I'm a part of:

-When in doubt, go more formal, not less formal. Showing up a little overdressed isn't too big of a deal, but showing up underdressed tends to be embarrassing and unprofessional.

-Think simple. No big jewelry, no dark make-up and no crazy hairstyles. You want to stand out from the crowd, but not so much that it detracts from the most important thing - you! Try spicing things up with lip color or a subtle pattern.

-Invest in a portfolio. It can hold your resume, keys, cell phone, money and lip gloss - what more does a girl need? This way you won't have to carry around a huge purse.

-Finally, be modest. If you would wear it to a club or party, it almost certainly is not business casual. Avoid cleavage, short skirts or sky-high heels! Save it for the weekends :)

Do you have to dress business casual very often?  I'd love to hear some of your go-to tips!

Labor Day Weekend fun

Whew! So I was definitely planning on doing a weekend update (it was a good one!) on Monday night but this week has been absolutely crazy. Anyway, here is a little bit of what I've been up to the last few days:

Friday: Toga Party!

My toga didn't end up being quite as artistic as some of the other girls' (at least it was better than the boys' outfits! They were ALL in white bed sheets), but I thought I did pretty well for my last-minute trip to Hobby Lobby.

Saturday: Game Day!

I gave a campus tour in the morning, and right after that the tailgating activities began :)

These are pictures from last year (I'll be sure to get some more this weekend!), but KU earned a 42-24 victory over McNeese State. It was so good to get back in Memorial Stadium!

My family comes to tailgate every weekend, and I love seeing them! We're kind of a tightknit group if you can't tell...

My cousin is on the KU volleyball team, so we went to her game also. They won and she was named MVP!

Sunday: Some much needed R & R + wedding shower

I was at home Sunday and most of Monday just hanging out with my family, which I'd been looking forward to for awhile. I talked to my grandparents, who are in Florida living at The Villages right now (Have you guys heard about this place? It sounds amazing!) but who I will see in about a month when we go to New York for my uncle's retirement from the military!

Sunday night my mom and I went to a wedding shower for my cousin David's fiance. I hadn't seen some of my extended family in awhile, and we had a nice girls night. I wish I had some pictures, but I left my camera at school :(

Monday, Tuesday and today: Busy busy busy!

I'm currently in the middle of about a zillion applications, meetings and events. PLUS I started my campus job this week. Twelve hours a week doesn't sound like much, but fitting that into an already busy schedule has been quite the experience for me.

What did you guys do over the long weekend? I'll leave you with the only picture I took this weekend:

She's looking a little scruffy these days :)

Holiday Hunks

Just to make sure you're all enjoying your day off, I thought I'd give you some extra eye candy on this Labor Day holiday! Here are some of my favorite leading men to get you through the first day back in class/work:

Source: google.com via Danielle on Pinterest

Anderson Cooper. Sexy AND smart!

Source: google.ie via Emma on Pinterest

Hugh Dancy. Loved him ever since Ella Enchanted with Anne Hathaway :)

Source: lovely-little-things.blogspot.com via Mary on Pinterest

Colin Firth. An obvious choice with my love of all things Pride and Prejudice or Bridget Jones-related.

Source: thehollywoodgossip.com via Olivia on Pinterest

Ryan Reynolds. Even though he's a huge star now, to me he'll always be the fat guy from Just Friends.

Source: lee-pace.net via Luann on Pinterest

Lee Pace. I was so sad when Pushing Daisies got canceled!

Source: google.com via Bailey on Pinterest

Justin Timberlake. Everyone loves a funny guy. Friends With Benefits was one of my favorite movies of the summer!

Did I leave out any of your favorites? 

Happy weekend! See you all tomorrow :)

Lazy Sunday

I don't know about you guys, but Game Day wore me out yesterday! I'm enjoying some down time today to relax (at home!) with my family. I also got to see little Annie and my brother for the first time since I went back to school a month ago!

There's a little animosity between the two of them...

You can expect a full post on Tuesday about the long weekend, but until then I'll just leave you with some Labor Day inspiration.

Happy Labor Day, lovelies!

Dress to impress?

Over the years I've learned that I almost always have a better day when I make an effort to look nice. Rolling out of bed, throwing on some Nike shorts and putting my hair in a messy bun may let me sleep a little longer (definitely one of my favorite things), but I spend the entire day in a slump because of my lack of effort in my appearance.

Today's ensemble (or at least it would be if money were no object!):

 
Going to Class by lindseyyylove featuring a long sleeve cardigan

Not everyone has this inclination, however, since most everyone in my classes wears the standard t-shirt and flip-fops combo. I have my casual days too, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I feel like an idiot for making an effort!

Do you dress up for class, or are you more of a shorts and t-shirt person? I'd love to hear your tips for staying cute on campus!