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I'm starting to feel like I only ever post on Mondays, and I am in great need to change that up... Hopefully this will be a week in which I can actually do that, and I'm going to use this musings to start my week out optimistically.

Composite | The composite is finally over! Well, at least the photo shoot aspect. The rest of the composite will actually be kind of fun since I'll be working on the proofs for it. I have to admit, the shoot itself went extremely smooth and I am so grateful for all of the help I had received on that day. I cannot wait to see how the photos all turned out!

Scheduling | My scheduling for next year's classes is coming up next year and I am happy to say that I have finished finalizing my list. Now I am just waiting for Thursday to come so that I can get registered for all of my classes. At this point I am just hoping that all of my classes will still be open so I can enroll in them! What classes are you taking next year?

On fleek | I wish I had taken pictures of my outfit today because it was seriously on fleek (as the youngsters like to say these days). I am actually really impressed since I had picked it out about 2 minutes before I had to leave for my class. Naturally it consisted of a vest, so maybe it's okay that I don't have yet another vest outfit to show you all.

Documentaries | I am guilty to admit that I just spent the last 4 hours watching documentaries with my friends in our lounge. Netflix seriously has some of the most riveting exposes and it was really fun to discuss them with everyone and see other view points (even if we got super heated about these other view points).

Home stretch | Ironically as the school year comes to an end, I am feeling oddly at ease with everything. Maybe the last two weeks just had to be very stressful for me to get to this point, but that is okay if I'm going to be more serene while I am in the home stretch. How does the nearing of the school year have you feeling?

Keyboard covers | I am starting to hate mine. I love the personalization it gives to my compute, but it actually has been hurting to use. It seems that I have to press down so much harder, and I can literally feel the arthritis starting. Honestly, my entire generation is probably going to get arthritis as a result of all the technology we use. Opposable thumbs can only do so much, right?

What's been running through your mind this Monday? 

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LMJ

My Picks for: Lilly x Target

If you've been anything like me this week, you have been drooling over the look book that Target released for their upcoming Lilly line. This entire collection is everything you would expect from Lilly: bright, fun, and full of floral! If you haven't seen the look book yet, you need to check it out here!

Though all of the pieces in the line are absolutely adorable, these are a few of the items I am hoping to score the most.

I absolutely love the Fan Dance shift dress and how it is so classic Lilly. Everything from the shape to the floral print screams Palm Beach and I would love to add this to my closet. I also love the Nosie Posey satin dress. It looks so carefree and easy to through together. It is the perfect casual summer outfit boiled down to one dress.

My next favorites start with the Giraffeeey palazzo pant. I think they would be perfect for breezy days spent at the beach or running errands. Paired with the crochet crop top, a messy bun, and the wedge espadrilles, it is such a carefree look that would be perfect for those days when it's a tad too chilly to not wear pants. Also, think of how great these pants would be during finals week? Perfect- I know!

The challis pompom shorts in Upstream are actually too cute not to consider buying. Since I definitely tend to favor blues, these shorts immediately caught my eye. I already knew I wanted them, but then seeing the pompoms just made me want them more! I think they would be so perfect paired with crochet tank top. The tank or the crop would be perfect with either the palazzo pants or the shirts, and having one or the other would make outfits so versatile!

My last favorite is a little bit unusual, but I would be lying if I said that the turban headband (in the middle!) wasn't on my checklist. My Fans is such a fun print and I think it would be so fun to style throughout the summer!

What were some of your favorites from the look book?

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LMJ

Monday Musings

About how much coffee I need to consume to get all of my assignments done tonight...

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Hi all! I hope you all have had a relaxing weekend! I went to bed last night feeling so ready to take on the day but then unfortunately woke up with a bit of a sore throat/nose combo. Let's all make a pact to get through this week together, though, huh?

Onto the musings now! 

The Circus | I have mixed feelings about the Circus since I love animals and want to see them be free... but how many times in my life will I be able to see an elephant up close? Probably not unless I go to Thailand and see them in the wild (thought that is on my bucket list...). Anyways, I went to the circus this past weekend with my mom and sister and it was so much fun! Also, did anyone else know that you can now drink cotton candy? That's right! Faygo made a cotton candy pop that I'm drying to try.

Projects | Last week was the week of projects for me. It was so stressful and I felt very overwhelmed. Ask my roommate, she was there the whole time as I cried about my life. With that being said, this week is all about...

Exams | Yup. I've gone from project week to exam week. Finals aren't for a good month and this week I have two finals and a quiz. I should probably be focusing all of my efforts on hitting the books rather than writing up this post, but when in college, am I right?

Sick | This morning I woke up with a sore throat and that will probably be a metaphor to sum up my entire week. I'm sick, I have to study, and I'm overall just cranky. Do you ever feel like you're in a constant cycle of "just make it through this week" too, or is it only me?

Documentaries | We watched a very interesting documentary in film today (Searching for Sugar Man), and now my interest in documentaries has peeked so much. If you have any documentary suggestions, leave them in the comments because I really would love to know!

Roomie | This week is room assignments and watching my roommate sign up with someone else is making me so sad... I loved getting to be her roommate for the last year, and while I'm honored to work for housing next year, I am going to miss my Mellie so much!

Spring | Across the world spring has sprung... except here in Michigan! The temperatures have dipped once again and thought I thought I was going to be putting away my big puffy coat that does not seem to be the case just yet. Has it felt like spring where you live let?

That's about it for my Monday. Sorry it was kind of bleak today- I guess my musings just matched the grey weather outside. Here's to hoping that the week will brighten up! 

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LMJ 

Vested

hoodie / vest 

Sorry about all of the poses being basically the same in this post and in the last one! This is an outfit that I've become partial to the last two weeks as spring has finally begun to break through the long winter! I find myself being comfortable walking around on campus most days in a vest, long sleeve/hoodie, jeans, and boots. On this day, the snow was just beginning to melt so there were quite a few puddles and my rain boots were a dire necessity. I can't wait until it is just a tad bit warmer so that I can start shoot warm-weather looks for all of you!

What's been your most recent go-to outfit?

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LMJ

Monday Musings

Hello again everybody! I hope you have all had a relaxing weekend and were able to hit this Monday hard! If you were like me and just felt like you were trudging through the day, no worries! We've all be there before. How about we hit it hard for this musings though, huh?

Shin splints | If you're my roommate, sorority sister, friend, or cafeteria worker, I'm sorry you have to  hear about this again! After having gotten my runs down to 3 miles in 30 minutes, I have pretty much taken myself off the track/treadmill with shin splints. The weather has gotten beautiful and I just want to run outside but can't. I don't know when I'll get over this (or when I'll stop talking about this, for that matter).

Kate Spade | A Kate Spade outlet just opened near my school and it is so dangerous! After having brunch (check out my post about it here!), my friend Kate and I headed over to the new store. Long story short, I dropped more money than I should have but I am so in love with my new wallet! It'll be featured soon- don't you worry.

Film | Today this class was excruciatingly boring. How about we just add Killer of Sheep to the list of movie titles that I never want to see again?

Scheduling | Scheduling my classes for next year is coming up soon. If you think high school classes are hard to schedule, college is soooo much harder. I've been so stressed out that I have yet to finish my fall semester list. I've still got some time though. Suggestions on electives? I've got tons of space for some!

Weather | This weather has been absolutely beautiful today and I've been basking in it as much as possible. Unfortunately, it's supposed to be getting colder soon and that does not fly very well with me. Hopefully we're over with winter though!

Norovirus | This has been going around my campus like wildfire! It's been a 50/50 toss up as to what's been causing it. Some say it's our food provider and some say it's just kind of going around campus. I've been avoiding the dining hall to be on the safe side, but hopefully this whole ordeal is over with soon.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt / I'm sure you've all heard of it by now, but Tina Fey and Netflix have released a new original show. I've watched a few episodes of it now, and I can't tell whether I love it or not. What are your thoughts on it if you've seen the show?

Hope everyone's Monday has been going smoothly!

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LMJ

Brunch

This Saturday, a good friend of mine took me out to brunch with her. I took it in celebration of making it through the week-because let's face it: college was getting the best of me. While we were out and about downtown, we stopped to snap some quick pics of my outfit!

I love this dress, and it's been hanging in my closet since the fall just waiting for a perfect outing. What I love about this look is how laid back it is while still looking like I tried that day. The twist on a shift dress by adding tiers is so fun, and it was quirky enough to wear around town.

Good Monster, a digital marketing agency, helps other businesses (especially local businesses!) create great experiences for their costumers. After learning about their mission, I got to thinking about my favorite local businesses and what I love about them. For me, brunch is best from local business because you can honestly tell they care about what kind of food they're serving. Whether I'm in Rochester, Royal Oak, or Birmingham, I've found that brunch is best served local. Not to mention you become a regular and before you know it your coffee is being served right when you're seated (I'm guilty of this...).

I also love what local business stands for. It's the American Dream, after all. People are putting their passion into something they value and the product is always amazing. The attention to detail and the care they put in cannot be surpassed by global chains.  I also love local markets, my favorite being the Eastern Market in Detroit. The atmosphere of the tents, the fresh produce, and the amazing food trucks keep me coming back all through the spring, summer, and fall.

Some of my favorite local places are: Bean and Leaf Cafe, Dessert Oasis, Red Knapps, Michigan Artisans, K Thai, and Shop. Play. Love.

(Although honestly, my list could go one for much longer!)

What's your favorite local business?

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LMJ

*Quick thank you to Kate for getting insta/blog-perfect pictures for me! I am so appreciative!*

Knit Together

shirt / leggings / scarf (made by my aunt)

This is a pretty typical outfit that I wear on class days. I would normally wear something like this on Tuesdays or Thursdays as my classes start later and I have more time to get ready. Leggings, a denim shirt, and a chunky knit scarf are really easy for me to pair together as these items make up about 40% of my closet right now. 

I've also been obsessing over this braided hairstyle and it's been getting a lot of compliments! 

Also - huge thank you to Lil J for snapping this pictures for me! Thank you for never thinking it's too weird of me to pose in front of a bunch of people attending a conference or for making sure to crop out campus security! 

What do you normally wear to class?

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LMJ

Monday Musings

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It's Monday and by now I hope you all know the drill- it's Monday Musings time. This week has been long, the weekend has been short, and more things have happened in the last 7 days than I can even explain. With that being said... Let's get this post going.

Weather | If you're living in the midwest/northeast I hope you guys are all having as much of a heat wave as my city has been experiencing. Yesterday for meeting I left wearing a cardigan and it felt incredible outside. The weather for the next week is supposed to be up in the mid-40s and the low 50s and for me that feels so warm!

Red Wings | Today I'm going to a Wings game with my lover boy and I am so excited for it. We went to a game about a year ago (leave me a comment if you thought "about a week ago" too), and it was so much fun! I'm really looking forward to the game tonight because I love spending moments like this with him. Let's go Red Wings!

Sisterhood | Though this week was stressful between school and sorority obligations, I have had many moments where I realize how amazing my sorority and chapter are. Throughout the week I have realized how many sisters I click with and how much I look forward to seeing my lovely sister's faces. (I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense- I've just been feeling lots of emotions.)

Makin' gains | The last week I hit the gym every single day and I swear to you all I have had so much more energy. I love going to group exercise classes, running, and I've even been doing some (super) minor weight lifting. You could say I'm making them gains.

Interpretive dance | When I'm studying with my roomie or our pal Annmarie, the one thing I cannot do is study for hours on end. To break up our time, we take some pretty epic interpretive dance breaks. Recently we've been loving tracks by Celine Dion and Ellie Goulding. Honestly though we're so good and why we're not studying dance I will never know...

The Interview | I bet you thought I was going to talk about the move but sike- you're wrong. In case you haven't noticed, conveniently right under this post is my interview with Emma of Dash of Serendipity. This has been the highlight of my blogging career thus far, and I would really love it if you could all a) check out the interview b) leave some love for how fab Emma is in the comments and c) check out Emma herself!

Twinning | This is just a quick shout out to Kendy and Kate, who I've been twinning with. Kendal and I are basically the same person and Kate is my spirit animal basically and we've just been super in sync lately. For whatever reason I had to share this because it's been blowing my mind lately.

Walden | We're reading Walden in my English class and all I can say is that it is tough. So tough. I honestly have read nothing that I understand and so this has been a struggle for me. Have you read any of Thoreau and struggled with it?

What's been blowing your mind this Monday?

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LMJ

Chit Chatting with Emma!

If you've ever taken a peek over at the list of blogs I love, you've seen Dash of Serendipity in the side bar. I recently reached out to Emma, the brains and beauty behind the blog, and asked her some questions about blogging, her personal style, and college! Working with Emma on this interview was so much fun and I hope to share more blogging experiences with her in the future! She is such a sweet and genuine person and I could night have been more thrilled to interview her! 

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1 | You’ve shared on your blog that you live near New York City. Did the concrete jungle inspire your blog title at all?

That’s actually really interesting.  While my connection with the city didn’t inspire my blog’s title I think it definitely relates to it.  Serendipity is defined by “the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way” and has a lot to do with why I love New York.  The possibilities are endless so a lot of what I do while I’m there happens spontaneously based on what is happening around me. 

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2 | Recently you posted about changing your major on your blog- did blogging inspire this change and help you make the switch from business to fashion media has it always been something that's interested you career wise? 

My blog and presence on social media has definitely motivated me to decide to pursue a different track.  I’ve realized that if I love blogging and learning about fashion and the media that surrounds it I should pursue a career that focuses on that.  Business just wasn’t doing that for me.  My dream job would involve a career doing social media for a company in the fashion industry, I just didn’t know what I should do to get there before. 

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3 | Many of my peers have been debating changing their major or have already changed their major, much like you. Did you feel stressed about this change, or are you overall more relieved and excited to be studying something you are passionate about?

Since I hadn’t declared my major yet it was really easy to “switch”. I still haven’t declared, but I at least now know what I’m doing and I’m confident that it’s what I want.  I can tell it would’ve been stressful to have made this decision a semester or two down the road so I am happy I was able to realize what I wanted before I put too much time and effort into my business classes. 

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4 | It is pretty clear from your blog that you favor classic pieces. Have you always loved this look or is there a specific moment that shaped your personal style into what it is today?

I’ve always been a fan of classic looks, though I think it came to me gradually.  Both my parents dress in a very classic, preppy style so as a young girl I was always exposed to it.  However, there definitely was a time, around fifth grade, where I was a little lost, fashion wise.  A little bit of a “tom boy” phase, but we don’t have to go into it.  It was a dark time.  Going to a private high school with a pretty strict dress code sort of forced me to explore further my love for the classic style, and I’m grateful for that.  

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5 | Are there any fashion icons that you would relate your style to?

Olivia Palermo.  She’s just so gorgeous and her style is flawless.  I admire how she embodies a classic look while still staying on trend and I think her style really resembles mine right now, or at least where I’d like mine to be.  

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6 | While you’ve been blogging, you’ve run a few series on your blog- out of all the series you’ve done, which has ended up to be your favorite?

This is such a tough question! I really love a lot of the series I’ve done. Friday Finds and my monthly music playlists are fun because I get to show a side of me that wouldn’t normally be displayed on my blog. I see Friday Finds as a way to share things that have caught my eye that week, so they may not always be related to the things I post on my blog. I’ve shared sports documentaries I’ve liked or even random fun facts about my life that week. With my playlists each month I get to share the type of music I have been listening to.  Music is such a personal thing and it can say a lot about a person. I find it surprising sometimes to see what other people are listening to so that’s why I share my playlists. 

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7 | You’ve been running Dash of Serendipity for a while now and your success has been truly inspiring- you are honestly one of the bloggers that gave me my push into blogging! Through your time on DoS, what has been your favorite and most memorable experience thus far?

Thank you so much! It’s crazy to hear that something I started for fun has had an impact on other people’s lives.  I think sometimes I forget that other people are reading my blog besides myself! My favorite moments are the little ones.  It’s funny when people in real life find out about my blog because they always have different reactions, most of them positive thankfully.  One of my favorite moments happens each day when I look at the comments on that day’s post.  I try to end each post with a question and I love hearing the answers because I get to hear about my reader’s lives and that’s really interesting to me. 

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I just wanted to say thank you again to Emma for allowing me to interview her! She is such a sweetheart and I feel so honored to have gotten to interview! 

For more of Emma, follow along with her on:

blogger / tumblr / instagram / twitter

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LMJ

Spring Break: a picture recap

Over break, I got to spend some quality time with my favorite man. We were both feeling under the weather at the beginning of break, and Jonathan had to head back to school since he wasn't on break yet, so we spent some time watching netflix. 

I'm sad to say that I spent a good portion of my break doing homework. The upside of this is that I caught myself completely up in my psych and health classes and finished some projects well before their due dates.

Fat Tuesday may have passed by the time my break started but in my family there is no such thing as too many packzis (also, you know you're a true Polish girl when you can spell packzi without having to look it up).

Like I said, I spent a lot of time studying. That meant a lot of quality time with this cheerful looking man. 

Because Jonathan wasn't on break yet, I went up to his school with my big diamond to see him the last weekend I was on break. While we were there, we went out to Moe's, which is probably one of my favorite places to go when it's around. 

What are your plans for spring break? 

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LMJ

Tween Tuesday: faux real fashion

I'm back with another Tween Tuesday! These posts are so fun for me to do because I get to share it with my little sister! She is such a diva, as you'll see from the photos below. And yes, she comes up with all her poses herself! Perhaps she'll be a future fashion blogger?

I loved the outfit that LeeAnn and I came up with for this look. My sister is a self-proclaimed fashionista, and they way she paired the faux vest is so fun against the cheetah print accents of her outfit! The vest gives the look a dressy element, while the sweatshirt keeps it relaxed overall. 

How would you style a vest like this?

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LMJ

Monday Musings

Spring break is over and I'm coming back at you all with a new Monday Musings. I don't particularly have too much to say, so let's just get into it, shall we?

Spring Break | It only seems appropriate that I should start this Monday's musings by talking about the end of my spring break. I don't have much to report on it besides the fact that it was relaxing and couldn't have come at a better time. Actually, scratch that, it could've come at a later time considering all of my friends are off this week and my boyfriend's off next week...

Bloggin' | Remember when I said I was going to do daily recaps of my spring break? Well... Surprise! I didn't do that. I know none of you are shocked or saddened by this, but because I want to keep my promise to you all I'm going to do a spring break recap on the blog this week.

Assassins | This week started a month long game of Assassins for the Greek community at my school. Ask me if I'm terrified about some pinning me out of the game and you could consider yourself assassinated as well (just kidding, I would never come after any of my lovely readers... Unless you're my target - then I hope you have your back covered).

Donuts | After craving a donut all day throughout classes, I indulged myself in one because why the heck not? You can even see it in the background of my picture above! (Side note- it was one messy donut!)

Work | I feel like I have so much stuff to do this week that my head feels like it's about to explode. It's so bad that I don't even feel like I know all that I have to do. Hopefully my planner will be able to carry me through this week. In Lilly we trust, right?

Inside Man | Today in film we actually watched a really interesting movie. We screened Inside Man (directed by Spike Lee) and it was so intriguing. I can't remember the last time I was leaning forward in my seat, but yes, it was really that good.

Kickboxing | It's Monday night and you know what that means- kickboxing! Tonight's class kicked my butt (pun completely intended) and I'm already feeling sore. But I honestly love this class and going all out on the punches makes me feel great. Hands down my favorite class that my campus' rec has to offer.

How has your Monday been?

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LMJ

J.Crew: the new arrivals

So as many of you may know by now,  J.Crew has released their new arrivals online. I think the collection has a perfect breezy vibe and I love how the pieces get me excited for warm weather. I wish I was somewhere tropical to wear the bold prints and fun cuts of some of their new arrivals.

Some of my favorites from the arrivals include this tunic, their new anorak in olive, and this flirty midi skirt. I am obsessing over the parker crossbody as well, and would love to add it's vibrant hue to my collection. I also love this pair of sandals and I think they would be so versatile throughout spring and summer!

My hands down favorite pieces from the new arrivals are these shorts and this pair of pants. I love how they showcase fun prints and intriguing designs while still maintaing the classic cut you expect from J.Crew's clothing.

What are your favorites from the new arrivals?

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LMJ