friday | Sparkle and Shine

It’s Friday…are you wearing a flannel?

Flannel Friday was a common trend in my high school and sometimes I find myself absentmindedly wearing a flannel on the last day of the school/work week.

USE3

USE4

USE2

USE1

USE5

Flannel: Expedition Flannel Shirt from Eddie Bauer | Vest: Women’s Puffer Vest from Lands’ End | Leggings: The Daily Legging from Victoria’s Secret | Boots: Lauren Ralph Lauren Marion Riding Boots from DSW | Necklace: Kenneth Cole NEW YORK Goldtone Chain Link Necklace from Lord & Taylor

But when I am buying my flannels, I have a secret. As a retired swimmer, over 5’8” tall, busty, I am built more like a linebacker than a stereotypical girl. When I go to buy flannels, many stores, like American Eagle, don’t fit me properly. They won’t fit right across my broad shoulders, close across my bust, or will stop before where it is socially acceptable to wear with leggings. At times, even looks like I am in the middle of an Alice in Wonderland like transformation of growing larger and everything else stays the normal size.

And this is why my secret is that I always, always, always purchase flannel’s from the boys section. But more importantly, male-focused stores that are known for their flannels. This is why I always choose to get them from Eddie Bauer. Here, I am able to purchase my flannels as a “tall” and never need to worry about feeling uncomfortable in a flannel that doesn’t fit the way that I would like it to. So for all my fellow tall girls out there and girls who feel they don’t fit a stereotypical female size, I recommend searching outside of the girl section because no one needs to not have the comfy-cute option of an over sized flannel and leggings.

Where’s your favorite place to purchase your flannels? Comment below and let me know!

signature 22222

Happy Friday, readers!

It’s no longer a secret that college weekends now start on Thursday nights, which makes Fridays on campus look like zombies rose from the dead. Since it’s syllabus week, I wanted to make sure I definitely seized the Thursday opportunity. So, my little and I went out last night!

I don’t have classes on Fridays, but I’m still out and about on campus all day long. I woke up this morning with a busy schedule: an audition for my school’s television station, a meeting for my sorority, a meeting for my school’s television station, blog e-mails to answer, this post to write, and some how find time to eat, go to the gym, and socialize in between. While running all over campus, and to Dunkin Donuts for my medium iced caramel swirl with skim, I try to still dress cute.

No matter how much your head is pounding or you may want to go back to bed, there are days when you need to just keep moving and cross items off your color coordinated to-do list! Just because you want to look comfortable, doesn’t mean you have to just throw in the towel and throw on a baggy sweatshirt.

My go-to for these types of situations are always leggings! Leggings dress up an outfit a little bit more than yoga pants, but are still just as comfortable. To continue to add comfort, I always will put on my favorite sweater. To continue to mix the comfort and cute aspects together, I added a scarf and a vest.

To my sparkling readers, a scarf is always my go-to accessory to dress up an outfit! You can almost always catch me in a scarf in the winter. Gap is one of my favorite stores for winter scarves, which is where I got the one that I am wearing today.

Vest: Gap | Sweater: American Eagle | Scarf: Gap | Leggings: Victoria’s Secret PINK

Boots: Ugg Australia | Sunglasses: Icing | Backpack: Coach

Keep this easy, cute, and comfortable combo in mind the next time you want to dress to impress, but don’t want to get out of bed. Check out more of outfits on my Instagram!