A Case of You

When ASOS asked me to style an outfit inspired by my favorite '70s icon, I didn't have to think twice. Joni Mitchell is not only a beautiful fashion inspiration, she is also a folk legend and one of my favorite artists of all time. Having been raised by hippies, her free-spirited songbird trills and ingenious offbeat chords were a staple of my childhood soundtrack. The album Blue will always take me back to car rides with my dad as a kid.

For my look, I went with a bell-sleeved navy number with delicate crochet accents, oversize round sunglasses, easygoing espadrille sandals and a mystical moon barrette. It felt like a fitting tribute to Joni's feminine yet no-fuss hippie style without being too costume-y. Thanks to ASOS for including me and to Joni for the endless inspiration. 

Dress: Courtesy of ASOS

Shoes: Courtesy of ASOS

Barrette: Courtesy of ASOS

Sunglasses: Courtesy of ASOS

Sips and Sounds, Volume 17

Vol. 17
The Sip: Pink Punch
The Sound: Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday

Despite appearances, this drink is not overly complicated or overly sweet. I simply got carried away with the garnishes! With Nicki Minaj as my muse, I knew it had to be over-the-top and, well, PINK. It turned into a sort of candy craft project. Recipe below (including instructions for the optional garnishes)!

PINK PUNCH
In a large glass, combine several pieces of the fruit of your choice (I used seedless watermelon cubes and raspberries), 1 oz vodka, 2 oz sparkling lemonade (bonus points for pink lemonade) and 3 oz rosé wine and stir. Add ice and enjoy!

Optional Garnishes:

Rim - I put corn syrup along the rim of my glass and dipped it into nerds.
Flower - I cut petals out of bubblegum tape and affixed them to a pink lollipop using corn syrup.
Twist - Wrap a piece of bubblegum tape around the handle of a wooden spoon and slide off.

Friday Vibes

Sometimes a summery dress and beat-up sneakers are all you need for a casual Friday afternoon.

Dress: Old Navy
Shoes: Converse
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Sips and Sounds, Volume 16

Vol. 16
The Sip: Andy's Banana
The Sound: The Velvet Underground & Nico

When my boyfriend and I started Sips and Sounds way back when (originally Vinyl Vednesday), the "rule" was to only select records the other wasn't terribly familiar with.  Because of that, there are a slew of classic records I've never featured...until now! This album is a favorite, and it also brought back fond memories of a couple of Halloweens ago. The indulgent (but suprisingly not super sugary) cocktail recipe is below!

ANDY'S BANANA
In a blender, combine 1 chopped frozen banana, 1.5 oz clear rum, 1.5 oz rich stout beer of your choice, 1.5 oz unsweetened coconut milk and a teaspoon of cocoa powder. Blend until smooth. Top with whipped cream and a cherry if desired.

You can also skip the beer and use 3 oz of coconut milk for an even more milkshake-y experience.

Lost & Found

Sometimes blog photo shoots get cut short when real life intervenes. Case in point: the photo below captures me saying "The bus is here!" Rather than letting these poor stragglers go unpublished, I thought I'd combine a couple of outfits into one post for your viewing pleasure. While I'll try to plan better in the future, my tenacious tendency to run late may make this a futile effort.

Outfit 1
Top: Gift brought back from Mexico
Jeans: Thrifted
Clogs: Toffeln
Hat: Vintage

Outfit 2
Shirt: Old Navy
Jeans: H&M
Jacket: Levi's
Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens
Bag: Fossil

Sips and Sounds, Volume 15

Vol. 15

The Sip: Happy Little Bumblebee

The Sound: Of Montreal, The Bedside Drama: A Petite Tragedy

To accompany this perfectly poppy record, I crafted a bubbly libation with some yummy, summery flavors.

HAPPY LITTLE BUMBLEBEE
Combine a spoonful of honey (I warmed mine up to make it mix more easily), 1 oz gin, the juice of half a lemon and a few dashes of lavender water and stir. Add ice, top with sparkling wine, stir again and enjoy! For the one pictured, I used wild blueberries as a garnish. You can also muddle them in to give it more blueberry flavor if desired.

Bang for the Buck

If you follow me on Instagram, you may already know about my absolute obsession with the arcade game Big Buck Hunter. While this fixation began long before my move, the game's prevalence in Portland has only added fuel to the fire. Those who know me personally find my penchant for virtual hunting quite humorous considering my generally gentle nature. As an animal-lover who has never been hunting in real life, I'm not entirely sure why shooting digital deer brings me such joy (and brings out my fiercely competitive side), but I will continue to pursue my fake hunting hobby and hopefully climb the ranks on the leaderboard.

Shirt: Thrifted
Jeans: Cheap Monday
Hoodie: Old Navy
Jacket: Courtesy of H&M
Shoes: Target