#and it made me (frumpy and 16 and trying so hard to make friends) feel REALLY inadequate and insecure

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

I think the funny thing about my being a youth leader is that I basically just Hang Out with a bunch of middle schoolers. like I just pal around with them and play games and then sit down and ramble at the youth pastor when it's time to discuss the Biblical topic of the night and somehow this has charmed like half a dozen of them into considering me A Cool Person despite the fact that I'm actually Introverted And Awkward at all times

[kevintor]

I Watch a Movie I Should Have Seen: Teen Witch

I had not heard of this movie until friends suggested it for my list of movies to watch. They especially pointed out the amazing rap moment and that’s really all I knew that I could not infer from the title.

This movie doesn’t waste time getting to the saxophone-heavy music. This is how it should be. I can’t tell you how many movies I watch that make me wait for the sax solo. And sometimes it doesn’t even come! Looking at you, The Godfather.

We’ve all had that dream where a mystery hunk in a dress shirt with rolled up, short sleeves and Cavariccis slinks towards you in the dark. Why do we have to wake up???

No matter how good you look and feel, never stand on a ledge in heels. Maybe block heels but not the ones she has on.

Louise’s little brother eats sheet cake under her bed and reads her diary, actually ripping pages out. He’s clearly a psychopath that deserves whatever magic comes his way.

Her dad is not creepy. He’s just someone who likes his daughter to wear his favorite color.

Hot guy from the dream (Brad) rocks a 5.0 Mustang and is dating the popular girl (Randa) living right across the street from Louise. Why do the important people in these movies always live so close to each other? I bet Brad went 300 feet before he had to honk that horn (not a euphemism) for Randa.

Louise’s best friend (Polly) is excessively frumpy. She has on so many layers, I don’t know how the bike could support the weight. She’s dressed like she’s arriving at Ellis Island from the old country.

Louise and Polly wear disrespectfully large trench coats most of the time. The kind I would only wear if I was trying to cut weight for a fight. I know Louise will eventually be made over into a hottie but she doesn’t really need to start in a cocoon. In She’s All That, they simply used glasses.

There’s a trio of rappers that serenade the school. I will call them The Leastie Boys.

Louise has skipped grades because she’s so smart. I get it now. If I was a younger kid amongst seniors, I’d want to hide myself under as much wool and tweed as possible.

There’s a particularly horrific scene where the diary page that her brother ripped out is accidentally handed in with her homework and the teacher reads the whole thing to the class. Between the brother, the dad, and this awful teacher, I’m not going to be surprised if there’s a clown in the sewers.

The girls’ gym uniform is.a purple leotard and that’s it. No shorts. No trench coat.

The popular girls spontaneously break into a song called “I Like Boys.” Is this a musical? She’s introducing them all to this song and they are choreographing it on the spot beautifully. I guess if you feel confident enough in that leotard, you can do anything.

It appears that the leotards are stuck to their bodies. They don’t ever take them off. They have clearly showered because they are drying their hair while still in the gym leotards.

Brad works out shirtless on the football field. He throws a football twice at a tire and never misses. They cut from the throw to the same shot of the ball traveling through the tire. “There’s no time to throw two balls through a tire! Use the same clip! We have six more hours of leotard footage to shoot!”

Quick question: If you were doing an audition for a play and your scene was a kissing one with the girl whose diary about being into you was read out loud in front of you, would you have any awkwardness in the audition? Brad doesn’t. Nothing weird about this. Does he have the memory of a goldfish?

Brad, too aroused by teenage hanky panky, almost runs over Louise on her bike. He stops the car and tries to help her by offering a ride home. Is Brad a misunderstood jock hunk? Randa makes him leave but he was really concerned. What a sweet goldfish man.

With a broken bike and no cell phones, Louise is forced to seek the help of the nearby fortune teller. The fortune teller (Madame Serena) doesn’t let her use the phone and basically robs her of the last cash she has on her.

Madame Serena notices something odd during her palm reading and asks her name again. When Louise says “Miller,” Madame Serena realizes she is a witch with powers that will come to fruition on her 16th birthday. We later learn that Madame Serena and Louise go back 100s of years with witch souls (or whatever). If you had a spiritual connection with someone named “Miller,” I think you wouldn’t miss it the first time. Maybe she should look into getting a third ear instead of a third eye.

We learn that Goldfish Brad can Fonzie a Coke out of a machine. The impressive part about this is that Cokes were only 60 cents. I want to go to there.

Louise turns 16 while her brother dry humps the table in excitement for birthday cake. Feel free to watch it. There’s other way to describe it.

Randa asks Louise if she’d like to go on a date with her cousin from out of town. This is definitely going to work out.

The cousin is an insane nerd who is acting as if he only has one night to live. He asks her if she wants to smoke weed at one point. Then once he’s all drugged up, he tries to get some loving in the car on the way home. It’s cringe-y. Thankfully Louise is gaining powers and makes him literally disappear.

Louise turns her brother into a dog. As if I didn’t hate him enough already, now he’s a talking animal. (See Hocus Pocus)

Madame Serena gives Louise a book of spells. She uses a spell to make the popular girls tell each other the truth. It starts off with calm “you’re not a good singer” insults but gets real, super fast. One points out the other’s “alkie mother.”

Louise wants to make Brad love her and it appears that the secret to casting a good spell is cayenne pepper or maybe paprika.

Brad comes over Louise’s house to work on his English paper. Louise apparently removes the hundreds of chairs from her room so they’d have to sit on the bed. How many chairs does a teenage girl typically have in her room? It’s certainly enough for each family member to barge in and immediately notice them all missing.

Louise thinks better of forcing Brad to like her and gets all the chairs out of her closet. She’s a good person deep down.

The awful teacher is back and this time, goes through Louise’s bag and shows her birth control pills to the class. How does this teacher, even in the 80s, have a job?

Louise rightfully gets revenge. She makes a voodoo doll of the teacher and makes him undress in front of the class. The principal catches him right as Louise pulls the dolls underwear down. Somehow he still has a job. Tenure is amazing.

We finally get to the Rap Off I’ve been hearing so much about. Leader of the Leasties and Polly battle it out for one verse each. Honestly, this could have gone on longer. I know there was magic behind it but Polly’s verse was fire.

Brad tells Louise that someone like him has to go out with the most popular girl in school no matter how terrible she is. Social expectations are the worst. Instead of convincing Brad that he doesn’t have to be with Randa, it would be easier to cast a spell to make yourself popular. Maybe even insanely popular.

The chunky knit sweater budget was out of control for this movie

We have a montage showing us the extent of her popularity. She gets applause when she arrives places. People follow her around. The Leastie Boys rap for her. And her wardrobe consists of so much more denim.

Brad takes her to a lookout point that they have to climb up to and she’s unfortunately too popular for sensible footwear. It’s hard to climb up a sunflower hill in heels. But you do what you have to do to wear the crown!

In this abandoned house, they take off some of their six layers of clothing. Then they make out in the dirty house like only the most popular kids in school could.

Everyone starts dressing and wearing their hair like Louise. Polly gets left out of everything. I don’t know if scenes were cut out (What could possibly be considered “not good enough” for this film?) but we never have the scene where the newly popular girl treats her best friend like garbage and has to apologize. I know Polly misses her but I bet she could just ask Louise to hang out. Anyway, Louise tries to talk to Polly and Polly makes her feel bad.

Because she is so popular, Louise has to sneak out the back of her house to avoid her adoring classmates. Brad picks her up on a side street and takes her for a drive. They go out on the river to talk as teenagers do. He asks her to the dance. She turns him down because she thinks he’s been tricked him into liking her. She wants it real.

Louise wants to undo the popularity spell and she talks Madame Serena into coming to the dance with her to help her do it. No one questions bringing a tiny, old woman as your date to the dance. Not even the teachers.

She wishes the popularity away in the middle of the dance floor. People stop looking at her but Goldfish Brad still feels the pull for regular Louise. He walks slowly towards her. They touch fingertips and roll them up so the palms touch. This happens in a lot of romantic movies. I don’t get it. It’s a good way to train yourself to high five. You learn proper hand alignment. What you want the finish to be. But it’s not romantic. Either way, they kiss and all is good.

This is a fine, late 80s teen movie. It’s essentially a knock-off Sabrina the Teenage Witch. The brother, the nerd date, and the awful teacher were unnecessary. Now that I think about it, the nerd date never reappeared. In most movies you’d have him reappear somewhere embarrassing like under a manure truck that’s about to be dumped. In this movie, he vanishes into nothingness. It’s haunting.

Also, they show that water undoes her spells in the beginning and never return to that either. I was expecting the boat to tip over when she had that moment with Brad on the river. That never happened.

And, finally, she never made up with Polly. Where’s the learned-her-lesson reunion with the best friend, awkwardly hugging through all the layers?

Minus all these loose threads, I enjoyed it. I’d even watch it again if it was on.

[from-the-clouds]

Somewhere Only We Know - Chapter 16

Chapter 15* Playlist * Masterlist

Word Count: 1,900

Warnings: n/a

Tag: @ontheoddoccasioniwritestuff, @maiden-of-gondor @crayonwriting @la-fille-en-aiguilles (let me know if you’d like to be tagged!)

A/N: Okay, so this isn’t a particularly eventful chapter but I had to do some characterization for Y/N and her mother. Ya know, I want to set some nice things up for the chapters to come! Sorry for the break between updates, life is wild sometimes.

April 1944

The guilt that consumed Y/N for the next few days was worse than she could have imagined, seeping from her mind into her body, coursing through her veins. She was sore and tired and regretting every choice she’d made since Collins left the few years before. Her life now was so different, and while she was frolicking around Europe, entertaining crowds, he was in pain, much to her ignorance. Had he told her earlier maybe she wouldn’t feel so bad. But this wasn’t his fault. She’d kept him in the dark, and as she penned draft after draft of what to write back to the man she loved, it became harder and harder for her to find the right words to make everything okay.

Would he be angry if she was honest? Most likely not. But it was her own mind that would make her regret what she’d done, and it already had begun to. Even if he did get upset she had kept her life from him, it was nothing compared to what she was currently doing for herself. Sleep evaded her, she nursed saltine crackers and black tea, as she had no appetite or motivation to prepare food for herself.

When she woke up one morning, her face pressed against a blank piece of paper, a pen loose in her grip as she surveyed the crumpled-up letters she’d attempted the night before, it was the rare sunlight streaming through the curtains in her living room that pulled her briefly out of the tent of self-hatred she’d set up for herself. At least for a moment, she needed to talk to someone else about this. But the only person available, who could possibly give her any proper advice, was the last person she wanted to go to.

Straightening her dress after she’d quickly showered and gotten ready for the day, she raised her hand and knocked on the door. Y/N hadn’t put any effort into making herself look nice, she hadn’t even dried her hair or put on makeup, so she knew she was quite the sight.

It didn’t take long for her to get an answer. Diana opened the door, donned in an apron, her hair impeccably styled away from her face, contrasting with her tired and frumpy-looking daughter. The house smelled amazing, which Y/N had become accustomed to growing up. Y/N wasn’t much of a chef herself, and her appetite suddenly came back with a vengeance at the smell of her mother’s cooking.

“Dear Lord, what the hell happened to you?” her mother asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Despite her initial instinct to fire back, she felt her shoulders slump in defeat under her mother’s disapproving gaze. “Can I just come in?” she asked. “I need to talk to you.”

Diana sensed her change in disposition and stepped to the side to allow her daughter entry.

“I’m surprised to see you at all after you blew off Stephen and I last week,” her mother quipped as Y/N followed her into the kitchen.

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t exactly in the mood to see him considering the circumstances.”

“That was rude,” her mother said, nodding at the breakfast nook in the kitchen. Y/N sat, dejected, staring out the tiny window.

“I know,” she said absentmindedly, unable to find the strength to argue.

Her mother pursed her lips, turning away from the stovetop. “Why are you here, then? I hope it’s to apologize.”

“Not exactly,” Y/N murmured, letting her chin rest on her hand as she leaned on the tabletop. “But if it makes you feel any better, I’m sorry.”

“That wasn’t very sincere,” Diane quipped, turning back around and flipping a page in her cookbook. “I shouldn’t have to ask for an apology.”

“Can you cut me some slack, mother?” Y/N straightened up, her patience waning as her voice cracked. “I need someone to talk to, and you sure as hell aren’t making this easy for me.”

Her mother didn’t respond, focused on chopping vegetables while Y/N sat at the breakfast nook twiddling her thumbs, trying to decide how much she wanted to reveal to her mother and how to even bring it up. A long bout of silence passed before her mother spoke again.

“Stephen was over yesterday.”

“He was?”

“Yes, he wanted me to talk to you about last week, see if I could get you to come around.”

Y/N huffed. “And?”

“I never liked him much to be honest, didn’t think your father did either,” her mother said, not turning around, tossing some chopped celery that hissed as it hit the hot pan. “But you seemed happy.”

“I was young, I knew nothing,” Y/N said flatly, slightly annoyed that their conversation had gone back to Stephen. It was pointless, and meant little to her now. But her mother either didn’t hear her, or chose not to respond, because she was forced to continue the conversation. “What did you say to him?”

“He wanted me to promise that I’d try to get you to call, to meet up with him.”

Y/N scoffed.

“So this is me…..trying,” Diane looked over her shoulder, quirking an eyebrow. This made Y/N smile, slightly, though she knew it resembled more of a pained

“Well, I’m not single,” Y/N responded. And that’s what I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

“Jesus, you’re not pregnant, are you?”

“No! God no.” Y/N scrunched her nose, shaking her head. “This is about Jack, mother. You’ve met him.”

He mother was quiet a moment, taking the information in. “You fancied him after all?” her mother asked, looking over his shoulder.

“I’m surprised you couldn’t tell.”

“I could, I was just trying to be polite,” Diane said.

Y/N rolled her eyes but knew better than to say anything. This was really trying her patience, but she had to stay focused on why she was here in the first place. “Well, he’s been away. And I may have ruined it.”

“Are you upset because he’s gone at war? You should have considered that before you got involved with him.”

Y/N’s composure snapped like a rubber band, despite the pep talk she’d been giving herself. “You think I didn’t consider that? It all happened so quickly.” Truth be told, she knew she would have loved Collins regardless, and she didn’t regret loving him now.

“What’s the issue?” her mother asked. “You’ve been here twenty minutes and you’ve yet to really explain why.”

Y/N sighed, tilting her head. “I haven’t been honest with Jack about everything going on in my life. I’ve told him nothing about the shows I’ve been playing or the opportunity in London. I wanted to, but it just felt so wrong, considering the fact that he’s miserable in the trenches somewhere, fighting for us all to go on like normal and I’m frolicking around here doing nothing of substance.”

“Anyways, he was injured again, and he can’t write me so one of his friends did. And now I feel awful because I’ve lied to him for so long about my life. I can’t explain why it makes me feel so guilty.” Y/N shook her head. “I imagined….if we both got out of this safely…I thought maybe he and I would….would get married.”

Y/N didn’t expect herself to start crying. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d opened up to her mother about something so personal and the vulnerability from that and the guilt that’d been eating her apart combined and resulted in tears…. again. It was surprising she hadn’t dehydrated herself from all the crying she’d done over the last few days.

It wasn’t hard to compose herself though, especially not under Diane’s condescending gaze.

“And you don’t need to chastise me, I know I’ve made a mistake,” Y/N spoke up before she could. “Believe me, I’m already insecure enough because of you.”

She feared the worst would come from her mother’s mouth as she finally seemed to stop meddling with her cooking, turning around to face her daughter. Biting the inside of her cheek, her mother appeared angry, ready to unleash everything all at once, but instead she sighed, walking towards Y/N and taking the empty seat at the breakfast nook across from her.

“I’ve always wanted the best for you, Y/N.” She said flatly. “I’ve pushed you hard and haven’t let you rest for that reason.”

“There are other ways to go about-“

“No,” her mother shook her head. “Being nice about doesn’t work.” She scoffed. “Not with you, at least.”

Y/N had to bit her tongue not to respond before her mother did.

“When you were a kid I remember you’d always come inside crying when the neighbor kids played too rough. You’d fall and scrape your knee and I’d comfort you, but you’d always keep wailing. Unless I told you that you were fine.”

“Because you were fine, you knew it. You looked down at the scab on your leg and went right back outside. I didn’t need to coddle you.”

“I knew after your dad passed away, and after Stephen left that you were devastated. But I wasn’t sure what would happen to you if I let you wallow around for years. You wouldn’t put your talent to good use, you’d stay here for the rest of your life and never come out of your shell.”

“When I met Jack, as desperately as you both tried to hide the fact that there was anything between you two it was written so clearly on your face it was almost funny. I didn’t know what to think of him. But he’s the reason you’ve started to play again, am I correct?”

Y/N nodded, swiping her eyes for the few residual tears that had collected on her skin.

“So why do you think this would make him angry? I think you know just as well, if not better, than I do, that if anything, he’d be proud. I don’t think there’s a violent bone in that man’s body.” Diane gave her daughter a weak smile. “In fact, he reminds me a bit of your father, don’t you think?”

Y/N nodded in agreement.

“I am proud of you, Y/N,” she reached out, squeezing her daughter’s hand from across the table. “When I saw you play at the bar the other night, I felt like I was seeing you again for the first time in years.”

Y/N didn’t have many words to say. This was certainly not how she’d expected the conversation to go, she thought, if anything, she would have stormed out in the middle of it. Her mother’s revelation, however, was a lot to process.

“Thank you, mum,” she said quietly, looking down. “That means more than you may think.”

She ended up spending the evening at her mother's, they had a nice meal and talked more before Y/N retired for the evening. Despite the fact that she could have gone to bed then and there, after the advice from her mother she knew what she had to do.

Y/N wrote it all down. Everything she’d been doing for the past year she poured into one letter than ended up being five pages long, even after drafting and cutting out entire paragraphs, it was nearly a novel. Her hand was cramping by the end, but she wanted to finish it so she could get it in the mail by the next day.

She only hoped Collins would have the chance to read it and forgive her, she didn’t know if she could go on without knowing everything between them would be okay.

[outfittrends]

How To Wear Puffer Jacket? 31 Chic Outfits With Puffer Jackets Outfit Trends - Ideas How to Wear & What to Wear

New Post has been published on https://www.outfittrends.com/how-to-wear-puffer-jacket/

How To Wear Puffer Jacket? 31 Chic Outfits With Puffer Jackets

How to Wear Puffer Jackets For Women? Oh the weather outside is frightful, but that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to look delightful (ly fashionable).  Even when its bone-chilling cold with temperatures in the teens (bbbrrrr), many ladies really don’t want to skip fashion for warmth.

But we have very good news – it is possible to wear a puffer jacket and not look frumpy and out of style. Believe it or not, you can look and feel unstoppable in a puffer jacket. According to a recent Boston Globe piece, “Any woman who has shopped for a puffer understands there are tiny style distinctions that take on outsized importance, which sometimes allow a woman to think her coat is — however marginally — cute: The slightest shaping at the waist. A faux fur ruff around the hood. A sophisticated silhouette.“

What To Wear With Puffer Jackets

Here are more than two dozen ways to brave the elements this winter and remain super stylish while wearing a puffer jacket.

↓ 31. Go for the gold!

The Skyler down filled bomber jacket by Sam-NYC is crafted from a densely woven nylon. The surface has been treated to obtain a lacquered look. It is lightweight, yet protective of wind and water, and filled with goose down to achieve warmth and an ultra-soft feel. The jacket features a raccoon fur trimmed hood, center front zip closure with snap placket, 2 lower pockets, a knit waistband, and spandex thumbhole cuffs. This pretty little number will cost you a suggested retail price of $695.00.

↓ 30. Champagne Tastes on a Beer Budget

You can never go wrong in a neutral monochromatic coat, especially one that comes from H&M for as little as $124. Pair with asos high waist jeans, Nike air max thea sneakers, a.p.c geneve bag, and who what wear collection top. You’ll look like a million bucks while barely even trying. And have money left over to splurge on guilty little pleasures, like lattes, all month long.

↓ 29. Living in a Material World

How cool were the 1980’s?! Channelling Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Boy George & Culture Club. Life would be so much better if neon pink could reappear in every decade! This jacket brights up your complexion and turns you into a ray of sunshine. The best part is, it’ll be super easy to identify which coat is yours at the end of the night.

↓ 28. Jewel Tones

Sometimes we just need a break from basic black. Michael Kors understands this and offers this winter coat in rich jewelled hues which can easily be matched to your amethyst and emeralds. Treat yourself to a matching mani too! You’ll sparkle like the precious gem you are.

↓ 27. Go big or go home!

Stay toasty warm from head to toe. This belted “puffy compilation” from Imgur lets you flaunt your tiny waist and not look like a big shapeless blimb. Dress it up with pumps, boots with a kitten heel or keep your feet planted firmly on the ground in a pair of Uggs or fashionable kicks.

↓ 26. Show The World You Have the Winter Blues

The colour blue is having a moment in home décor. Pinterest boards full of cobalt blue kitchens. Fashion follows the interior design. Step out looking boho chic in this warm 90% duck down warm parka quilted coat. Best part if the removable scarf.  On sale for only $125.55 at Boho Gipsy Store.

↓ 25. Sorry, I Wanted to Stay in Bed

For those cold, raw days when you really wish you could stay under your duvet covers, throw on this stunning coat from Add. Changing out of your oh so comfy pyjamas is optional.

↓ 24. Pinkies Up, Dutchess

Let them question if you’re part of the royal family in this majestic purple hooded winter white duck down jacket with natural fox fur collar. It’s even available in plus sizes. They will be shocked if you tell them it’s only $217.27 at AliExpress.

↓ 23. Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Wish your closet could be filled with Balenciaga, but worried if you can even afford this month’s rent payment? The Orolay is the thickened $100 down jacket that looks a little bit Balenciaga, a little bit Sacai, and is selling like hotcakes. I spotted three women checking into spin class on the upper east side of Manhattan, New York City this morning. Snag it for only $99 (was $250, now 60% off) at Amazon.

↓ 22. Keep Your Hands in Your Pockets

C’mon, admit it, what girl doesn’t go crazy when they realize their dress has actual pockets?!? The H-line Casual Pockets Hoodie Coat offers front pockets. What a score! Gloves optional. Did we mention this jacket has front pockets?!?

↓ 21. Eye See You

Ward away fromthe evil eye and make sure everyone is watching you closely while prancing through the streets in this very noticeable puffer from Rivaynyc.com | Rivay® Official. Pairs nicely with a classic Chanel bag. The girl who wears this is certainly an “It Girl” wanting to be viewed, admired, appreciated and remembered.

↓ 20. Headed to the Gym

Puffer jackets are the perfect way to winterize athleisure, which continues to be so in style right now. This Aritzia super puff jacket comes in so many different colors options. The key to styling the perfect puffer jacket is to get one that is slightly cropped, because it emphasizes your waistline and creates a feminine silhouette.

↓ 19. Wine Time

Easily a perfect jacket to throw on before a girl’s wine night out or meeting friends at the pub. Pairs well with black pants and heels. It’s practical and unfussy, even if you’re not.

↓ 18. Grading on a Bell Curve

This trusty quilted Alice + Olivia is by far my absolute favorite.  The jacket means serious business both in terms of warmth and sensational style. The bell curve on the hips adds just the perfect amount of flounce and flair. A great pair of shoes is all that’s needed. What’s she’s wearing underneath is meaningless because this detailed jacket screams, “Here comes a fashion plate.” 

↓ 17. Green with Envy

Strut yourself in a big bold emerald green jacket and skinny black stirrups. It’s almost possible to feel the heat radiating off of this classy lady. This seriously could be Meaghan Markle in her pre-Dutchess days. Do you see the resemblance?

↓ 16. It’s a Long Shot

The long puffer is a must-have staple in every female’s closet. It protects you all around, exposing only a tiny portion of your legs. Keep that part of your legs covered in heavy tights or thick wool pants. There’s no better option for those living in a city with lots of precipitation and/or low temperatures. Feel free to take a bold chance on your shoes and accessories since the majority of your body will be covered up the coat. Puffer coat + cropped jeans + ankle boots equals a winning equation every time. Now you do the math. 

↓ 15. If You See a Shiny Penny, Pick it Up…All Day Long You’ll Have Good Luck

Glossy magazines will never be completely out of Vogue. There’s something so rich, luxurious, eye-catching and worthy of shine and that definitely includes shiny nylon down jackets. This is a bespoke shiny/PVC/vinyl down winter coat which is made of high-quality 4-way stretch vinyl. It has an oil slick look with really smooth touch (latex imitation). In a class by itself and not your usual nylon puffer. You may think it looks familiar because it mimics the Moncler style, but is much more glossy.     

↓ 14. Even Runway Models Walk on Paved Streets

An eccentric design could really polish a plain, boring coat. Gigi Hadid provides us with some awesome tips with this bold, sassy and comfy puffer coat. Remember that you don’t have to put too much effort with your other clothing because the coat itself can do the magic. Just like that, you can look effortlessly chic.

↓ 13. Walk as if You are a Painting in a Museum

Patterns can be risky, but there’s just something so beautiful and unique about this White Floral Turtleneck Long Sleeve Coat. Definitely meant for the condifent fashionista who wants to stand out from the crowd and differ from the masses all huddled togethjer in their basic, boring, black winter gear.

↓ 12. Make Love, Not War

This camo puffer jacket from Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren Down Snorkel Jacket is guaranteed to keep you toasty warm. It’s also available in a men’s version, if you want to twin with your mate. Requires nothing more than a chic pair of jeans and rugged combat boots. Spend less time getting ready and much more fun having fun.

↓ 11. You’re Making Me Blush

Puffer jackets with a slim silhouette like this blush pink renew lightweight puffer jacket prove endlessly versatile. Simply toss it on over workout gear on your way to or from the gym, or style it with a sweater and your favorite jeans for the perfect, low-key weekend look. The mock neck collar complements so many different layers, from turtlenecks, to crewneck shirts, to button downs, to hooded sweatshirts. Add a little extra warmth on cooler days by wearing it over a simple cashmere sweater. Pure perfection.

↓ 10. Two Tone

This two tone puffer is so attractive and easy on the eye. Roll up the sleeves for an extra pop of color. I can’t help but wondering if it’s reversible. That would mean two fabulous coats for the price of one!

↓ 9. Mid-Length

Mid-length jackets can be worn by any type of individuals, whether you are a plus size or a petite woman. The length still keeps the whole ensemble more flattering because it provides a complimentary balance. She looks put together in a pair of black leggings, big handbag and eye-catchy boots.

↓ 8. It’s a Cinch

Puffer coats with belts are really attractive and convenient. You can manipulate the comfort and style level by adjusting the belt. This accessory promises that you will never have a hard time finding the perfect fit because the coat itself is adjustable. Zippers and belts are a fantastic combination to lay emphasis on your body.

↓ 7. If you got it, flaunt it!

From the upper to the bottom, you can certainly affirm that this girl knows how to style a puffer coat. The design of the top and the colors of the coat perfectly mesh together. And oh, the flare long jeans were ideal match to the mini short puffer jacket.

↓ 6. Don’t Skirt the Issue

One might wonder: can you pair a puffer jacket with a skirt? Apparently so! (All while keeping your legs warm too!)

↓ 5. Mad for Plaid

Plaid is always current. Bring it out for hayrides and bonfires in the crisp fall weather. Add a red or green scarf for a true festive holiday feel in December. Rest assured, you don’t look like a lumberjack. But you may just get picked up by one.

↓ 4. Got a Problem with the Paparazzi? 

Hmmm, is it possible that the puffer coat has made its comeback courtesy of celebs being spotted in them right before stripping off for red carpet event to get photographed in their revealing dresses? Or, because it’s this jacket they choose to wear when running errands in cold temperatures and hiding from the paparazzi? Well… they’re obviously wearing them for style reasons. 

↓ 3. Don’t Throw Shade at Me

What if I told you all you all need is a great pair of shades to compliment your puffer coat. So stick your chest out a bit more and stay incognito hidden behind a great pair of sunglasses that flatter your face.

↓ 2. Countdown to Spring

Better days are coming. They’re called spring and summer. Let winter know you are breaking up with him. Show him, it’s not you, but I’m gravitating towards warmer weather filled with lilacs and pretty flowers.

↓ 1. Invest in Your Future

If you can afford it, go above the budget and treat yourself to a timeless and classic beauty such as Moncler, Canada Goose, etc. Be vigilant about taking extra good care of it and plan to pass it along to your daughter once she’s grown into it. Because when your daughter covets your clothing, you know you’re a super cool mom! Now if only she could give you her perfect skin.

Bundle up, stay warm and have the best winter ever!

[bksayinfuckitall]

I've had a beverage

Finished the last of the Maker’s. Which tonight might not be the best plan. I’m feeling vulnerable. Wimpy. Wishing I didn’t consistently undermine my own efforts at life. Wanting to be proactive and sexy and cool and intelligent and really feeling anything but. Realizing that for about 4 days I really had my shit under control. I said what I wanted. I didn’t censor myself. I put myself out there. And damn, it was so good. I was so energized those first 4 days in Lubeck that I couldn’t sleep and it didn’t matter. I felt invincible. Lost my self-consciousness. Had butterflies. Wanted them there. Talked to him because I wanted to. Liked when he talked back. Shared stories. Sat next to me at lunch. And dinner. And kept getting in the same car as me, enough that I thought it on purpose. Liked that his stories matched mine. (He makes Brussels sprouts. Drinks Riesling. And Bourbon. Admires Distler. And Andries Nelsons and sings with Tanglewood and has 6 guitars at home. A complete nerd. Lives in Southie when in the city, too! A musical savant, conductor, singer, teacher, instrumentalist, moderator, student, serious as all get out and still all good-nature. Face for some reason covered in adolescent breakout, but yet the best eyes. The chiseled face. The lanky swagger. The seven-day-old shirt and full beard he grew because his luggage never made it out of the Hamburg Airport. Generous to Cheryl at her most difficult, calming the rest of us. A kid around some people, a contemporary to those much older. I had no fear around him and felt no fear in return. He was clear across the choir from me and I kept seeking him out. Wanting him to watch me singing, engaging, admiring, as trite or as elusive as that tactic might be. Trying to catch his eye, engage. It was only after the cosmopolitan German-Yale-supermodel soprano showed up on Sunday night that I knew it was over. I saw it the moment she walked in. I lost my nerve. Decided I had no game. Started acting like it. Felt short. Frumpy. Hardly a good enough singer to grace his presence. Nervous. Avoiding. Reading into everything. Gaining every ounce of self-consciousness I had shed before. Wishing I had reacted differently, more confidently, and knowing once you do that you can’t backtrack. Sure, I could fix it, but it’s hard to feel like your game is any good when you’re 16 years older and 16 inches shorter than someone you think you might be in love with. And don’t want to scare off. No game, I tell you. No game. There was a moment on Wednesday night where I felt it again. At dinner. I started telling a story, joining in on some revelry. He looked over me, straight on, encouraged me, teasing smile. My stomach was in my feet. It was all I could do to not stumble to the conclusion. We went up to the dance floor and I went to town on a fast number with another new friend, gay of course, and a fabulous salsa partner. He was just sitting on the sidelines, not watching me, looking elsewhere, as I kept looking his way like a shy teenager, hoping he was just being shy, too. Thinking perhaps he is embarrassed and knows not what to do. Hoping he likes me. Not believing he could be shy. Not believing the feeling I’ve had from the moment I first talked to him in the garden in Hyannis, immediately engaged, immediately curious, immediately the nicest guy in the room. Just wishing I could be with him. Not even wanting to fuck him or even kiss him. Just be with him. Feeling so strongly about him that I couldn’t believe the chemistry wasn’t mutual. Still can’t. And yet, I doubt. Avoid. Want to keep him in that safe place of hopeful attraction, hoping it is real from him, and yet so unsure of me as a woman who can actually fall for someone and follow her heart, yet absolutely flummoxed at how to do so. Feeling like high school. Feeling overwhelmed because he asked me to be friends on social media without me asking him first. Feeling my heart burst because, minutes after I thought how much I wanted to ask him to go out to a concert on Friday, he posted on FB liking the very same event, in completely separate context, and me thinking, “I know him. I know him.?” Feeling like I’m letting something go by not being direct and knowing I should be, and just dreading what an outright rejection would be. Knowing we have 48 mutual friends. That he knows everyone and I know everyone else and I don’t know what putting myself out there would do. Feeling very 44 to his 28. Wanting to celebrate my age and experience and cursing myself all at once. Happy to feel something. To be dragged willingly out of the funk. And yet still so afraid.