Stuck between a rock and a fashionable place

Deciding how much to contribute to your 401K......grown up problems.

Deciding to continue renting or buying property.......grown up problems.

Deciding to stick with a job you're comfortable with or following your passion.....GROWN UP PROBLEMS!

In this world of uncertainty how are us twenty-somethings supposed to make decisions like this? And when is it no longer appropriate to go crying to Mommy? Or your boyfriend? Or your friends? At some point we have to stand on our own two feet and make decisions based on what WE feel and not what everyone else thinks is right. But what if you don't know how you feel and you're uncertain?

That's where I am at right now. I've got Grown Up Problems. And trying to figure out what I want to do in life is tough! When I was younger I had it all figured out...

I wanted to be involved in fashion. Plain and simple. I wanted to go to school, graduate, move to New York, make a million dollars and live this fabulous life full of designer handbags and beautiful shoes. Is that too much for a girl to ask? But then...SMACK! right in the face- life isn't that simple!

Life forces you to make decisions. And there are a lot of factors to consider when you are making those decisions. Finances...happiness...benefits...retirement...all of these, plus a countless list of others, are so important to consider when making decisions/changes to your life/career. 

So here is my question to all of you.....if you had to choose, would you choose a job that was stable? or would you choose a job in a field that you loved, but presented more risk?

Calling All Tech Savvy Fashionistas!

Tech Savvy in my definition means you have an iPhone (or a comparable phone) and you know how to take pictures and use apps. So if you know how to do that, *Congratulations* you tech savvy, little lady!

While I was tweeting yesterday, I happened to come across a tweet from Rue La La (if you aren't a member, click on the link and join the party!) talking about one of their favorite new apps. And as I am a huge fan of Rue La La and die if I don't check out their deals everyday at 11:00am, I thought I would check out this app that they are raving about. 

It's call Thre.ad. And it kicks ass. Thre.ad is like you took all of your best, most fashionable, pictures from Instagram and adding them to your favorite pin board from Pinterest and made them available for the world to see, and you get to see all of theirs too! But these are pictures of what people are actually wearing on the street, styles that inspire, and people who aren't afraid to be trend setters. I have been a member for about 10 minutes and I'm already obsessed. I can't wait to stop people on the street and snap their photo! 

 

And the best part about it is you can access your profile from any computer. This isn't a strict iPhone only application! You can register online and send in your photos that you've taken on any device. It's like a gathering place for the worlds most fashionable people! Who doesn't love that?! I encourage you all to get a Thre.ad account today...in fact, right now! Why wait? And add me! My username is Marcie (real original, I know!). 

I promise you all that this is going to be the next big thing..............and if it's not.....you can have fun with it for a while. 

Check out Rue La La's blog about thre.ad here...

Beauty is Ageless...

Did anyone else catch this story on the Today show the other day? A 90 year old woman, Iris Apfel, is the new face of MAC Cosmetics. For those of you who are familiar with MAC, you probably view the brand as youthful, colorful, and daring. But who says that you can't be all of those things at 90 years old?

I am amazed by the beauty displayed in this story by the Today show. And it proves that in my earlier post, {Back in the Big Apple}, there is something that can be said for our elders and their beauty. Retails take note! Older women have the money! Older women don't want to be pushed to the sidelines of fashion at the age of 50! And younger women have a lot to learn from our elders when it comes to dressing for our age while still remaining "polished and elegant" (as a former client and good friend, Diane would say).

We aren't all 5'10", stick-thin supermodels, and we shouldn't be! We are all individuals with our own individual style...we should embrace that. And more importantly, we shouldn't forget about our style just because we have aged...and aged gracefully, I might add.

Kudos to MAC for snagging Iris before some other cosmetic line did. What a statement! And MAC isn't the only beauty and fashion related company embracing age. CoverGirl Cosmetics, Chicos, Talbots, and even Vogue have been featuring actresses and models who have much more life experience than twenty-somethings like myself. To that I say...Good for you! Great Job! Keep up the good work!

It's a great reminder that beauty and elegance doesn't disappear at a certain age....it only gets better with time.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

**Attention Indy Brides**

If you're a bride-to-be and you're looking for some extra help on your big day, {and you live in the Greater Indianapolis, IN area} I know just the girl for the job!

I am so happy and so proud to share with all of you that Jessica Dum Wedding Coordination is now up and running. Jessica is an amazingly talented wedding coordinator, and I am lucky enough to say that she is one of my best friends. Jessica and I lived together our sophomore year of college and our bond hasn't broken since. Jessica has been working very hard to get her business up and running and I am so excited to see where she goes from here!

About Jessica...

 

Congratulations, Jess!! I am so proud of you!!

But...how are you going to be IN my wedding and coordinate it?!

..this is my challenge to you..

Puppy Love

oh puppy love...*sigh*

I'm not talking about the butterflies in your stomach, heart beating fast, first crush, kind of puppy love. I'm talking about puppy love - in other words, love for your puppy. 

I have always been a dog person. I grew up with all kind of dogs. We had Basset-hounds,  and Newfoundlands, and Pit Bulls, and mutts. Quite the mix of breeds, right?

But it wasn't until I had my own dog that I would truly understand what having a dog really meant, for me personally that is. When I was growing up, I would say that our family dog(s) was my dog, but they weren't. They were the family dogs, or really, my parents dogs who I liked to claim as my own - similar to my parent's house, my parent's money, and my parent's car, etc. I had no responsibility for our dog(s). I wasn't responsible for feeding our dogs..I wasn't responsible for the vet bills.. and I only had to take them outside or play with them if I felt like it. 

I guess I would admit that the younger version of myself did not fully understand what having a dog meant, and did not fully embrace what an amazing companion a dog can truly be. It wasn't until I had a dog "of my very own" that would start to appreciate all of the things that dogs give to humans.

Dogs give us a sense of safety and protection (well, my dog does anyway....because he's a big dog...not a little dog like a Yorkie or Pug - but maybe your little dog gives you a sense of safety and protection, which is great!....moving on..)

Dogs love you no matter what. They are excited to see you when you walk in the door and greet you with an excited tail wag (but in my case, its a waging "nub"). Dogs know when you are sad or when you've had a rough day and know that the only thing to make it better is having a paw to hold. 

Is this getting too mushy? The point of all of this is that, for me, my dog has changed my life and made me see the world a little differently. And for all of you, this post is for me to introduce you to my dog. My best friend. My boy. My Coop-a-Loop. 

Meet Cooper

As a puppy...

 

{wearing a tshirt so he didn't get a sun burn}

 

{supporting the Boilermakers)

 

{oh and here he is just being handsome}

Cooper is a white Boxer. He is 3 years old with the heart of 3 month old. He is silly, and clowny, and clumsy most days. But behind his playful exterior, he is smart, loving, and starving to learn new tricks. Hes a 65 lbs dog who thinks he's a lap dog, and I wouldn't want him any other way. He's a cuddle bug, and a terrific napping partner. He's strong, and protective. He's amazing. 

I'd love to hear about any dog stories that you might have or would love to chat about anything K9. Leave your comments below or feel free to email me.

Love it or leave it?

So I don't know about all of you, but this beautiful weather that we have had here in New England the past few days is getting me excited to bring out one of my fashion favorites. Maxi skirts! Ahh! I'm obsessed! I've been obsessing over maxi skirts since my first purchase last fall and I can't get enough. My most recent purchase was this awesome maxi by Pure Sugar. Its navy and white, its got small chevron stripes (obviously trendy), and its pleated all over....and it is amazing. I will have to post a picture when I wear because the description really does not do it justice. 

Now that you are all aware of my maxi skirt obsession. I want to know what all of you think....kind of generic I know, but...

Maxi Skirts

Love it or Leave it?

Leave your comments below! Lets start a discussion!

all pictures courtesy of Pinterest

*which all of course came from some other website*

Friday

I think that pretty much sums it up...