8.31.2012

A Gloss of Goth


Dark lips are popping up everywhere as the It-look for autumn and I can't wait to get my hands on a shade that complements my semi-bronzed-from-summer, yet still-fair skin.
The vamped-out look was all the rage at this year's Met Ball where stars like Camilla Belle, Kate Bosworth and Lana Del Rey pouted in shades of crimson, plum and burgundy.

Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere debuted her take on the trend earlier this week, taking the bold look from the runway to everyday and totally nailing it.


Another one of my favorite blogs, The Beauty Department, provided this guide to the va-va-vamp look based on hair color and complexion. Looks like it's dark plum for me!


Already in love with the deep, plummy-brown of Kat Von D's Homegirl. To steal the other girls' looks, check out: 

The Camilla: 

ck one pure color lipstick in smooch

The Kate: 


NARS pure matte lipstick in volga

The Lana: 
 MAC lipstick in dark side

The Emily: 

YSL lipstick in wild blackberry

Images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

8.30.2012

Free People September 2012 Lookbook


Initial Reaction: Kate Moss for Free People? That's strange...

But no, it is just a very Moss-esque model called Martha Hunt who brings FP's latest lookbook to life in a paparazzi-inspired, metropolitan shoot that breaks away from the brand's usual Bohemian style.

I'm loving all the denim, especially in the form of two very different dresses that could be played up with red lips for a night out or dressed down with moto boots and a leather jacket for a quick and chic outfit for class.

These photos also have me extremely excited to get to New York where I'll be playing paparazzi myself while stalking people during NYFW! Can't wait to see all the amazing looks!

Photos by Guy Aroch for Free People September 2012

8.28.2012

For the love of black leather...

For the love of black leather...

For the love of black leather... by amanda-boleman


I had never really noticed my love for leather before last weekend when Kelly and I were out shopping around for some new duds for my trip to the East coast; I can't wait to leave tomorrow! 

Everything I wanted had leather, spikes or studs (which I've already expressed my obsession with) incorporated in some way and I had to refrain myself from buying all black everything.

I happened to sneak away with a steal of a leather jacket from Akira that has a hidden hood for the brisk, Autumn days to come. It's not my dream leather jacket (still saving my pennies for that Burberry Prorsum jacket that Britney had me drooling over in her Till the World Ends video!), but I'm still looking forward to hitting the New York streets as a bonafide badass in all my leather-loving glory.

shop: topshop studded leather vest / helmut lang leather pants / dr. martens black boots / burberry prorsum studded leather biker jacket / valentino handbag / chloe biker jewelry / new look leather skirt / leather jewelry / givenchy lamb leather manches top //

8.25.2012

Marathon Training: Expected Time

-->I set out to write this update on how my training is going earlier this week and had little notes like "Kind of overwhelmed" and "Mind over matter" written out next to the looming 5 hours and 30 minutes that Brad and I decided to enter as our expected finish time.

5:30

But that was all before I ran my first actual long run. I say actual because my longest to date before yesterday was a 10 miler with a lot of stops/errands along the way.

After finally committing to a long run with no stops, I was shocked to see that I could actually pull off 12 miles in under 2 hours with an average pace of 9:36/per mile.


At this rate, I definitely think that doing the marathon in 5:30 is possible and despite wanting to chop off all my body parts from the waist down due to soreness, I can tell that my body is starting to get physically prepared for this absolutely crazy thing that I decided to do to it.

I'm not going to say it was easy. Around mile 10.5, I half expected to look down and see that my legs had turned green Gumby style since they felt so jello-y, but never one to give up easily, I pushed through and even sprinted out the last block.
With only a little over a month left, I've felt a need to really kick it in to gear and have been putting in two-a-days with yoga + runs combined to ensure I'm getting stretched out while also gaining strength and getting my body in peak physical condition -- whatever that means -- but I am enjoying some muscles in places I've never seen them before!


Looking forward to getting a 16 miler and 20 miler in while I'm traveling as a cool and different way to take in the sights in Boston and New York!

Images via 1, 2, 3, 4

8.23.2012

Color Me...Peach

Color Me...Peach

Color Me...Peach by amanda-boleman 

Inspired by the flavorful, fresh peaches I haven't been able to stop eating all summer long. 

shop: peach you to the punch dress / zoe karssen graphic shirt / wildfox denim shorts / irene neuwirth ring / nars orgasm blush / herringbone peach & platinum clutch / lace-up ankle boots //

8.22.2012

InstaLife: Summer 2012


{sunrise from lakeshore drive}


{9 to 5: tribune tower}


{fashion inferno photo shoot for RedEye - by lenny gilmore}


{missing australia}


{rendezvous with old friends}


{holstein park pool - only 4 blocks from my new house!}



{choice chicago eats - butcher & the burger turkey burger and fries; giordano's pineapple & pepperoni pizza}


{doing my homework for nyfw & ifbcon 2012}

8.20.2012

Travel Top 5: St. Louis, Missouri


St. Louis had never really been a travel destination in my mind before I started dating Will, but after hearing the born and bred native rant on about it for months, I figured I might just have to pay good ol' St. Lou-aaay a visit.

Every time I've gone to St. Louis, we've always had some sort of occasion or special reason for being there--Will's sister Camille's wedding, Mardi Gras, and a VERY short stay after a Thanksgiving trip to Arkansas--so we never got to properly explore the city the way I would have liked to. 

Luckily, we worked out a free weekend that we could get away solely to enjoy the little things that make the Lou a hidden gem among the not quite Northern, not quite Southern states. Unfortunately I accidentally deleted all my pictures from our first day and a half there, but still had enough material to compile this mini St. Louis city guide...  

Best Restaurant: Sweetie Pie’s Kitchen

When a restaurant has a line out the door and around the corner at 2 pm, you know the food has gotta be good. But good is an absolute understatement for this soul food hotspot in South St. Louis. This is finger-licking deliciousness in epic proportions with every Southern comfort food imaginable from home-style fried chicken to black-eyed peas complete with a slice of corn bread.

Fun for All Ages: City Museum

I have no idea how I had been to St. Louis three times before without ever visiting this acid trip of a jungle gym. With over 600,000 square feet of unique, found objects transformed into a giant playground, funhouse and architectural wonder, the City Museum was by far my favorite place in all of St. Louis. Weaving through tunnels in the Enchanted Caves and discovering hidden passageways up to the 10-story slide, I felt like I was seven years old again and couldn't wait to reach the rooftop where we could jump aboard the revived, four-story ferris wheel Big Eli for a breathtaking view of the city by night.

What Brings It All Together: Gateway Arch
While the Arch may seem like an obvious destination, it is truly the defining feature that sets the St. Louis skyline apart from other Midwestern cities that have already seen their heyday. Standing in at 630 feet tall, the Arch is the largest man-made monument in the US and serves as the gateway to the West. The view driving down Market Street perfectly frames the Arch around the Old Courthouse where Dred Scott sued for his freedom in 1847. While we didn't have enough time to ride to the top on this trip, we had a blast doing cartwheels and posing for touristy, holding-the-Arch shots (that were sadly deleted!) before devouring St. Louis-style BBQ from Smoki O's as a picnic in the park.

For a Bit of Fresh Air: St. Louis Parks – Forest Park, Tower Grove Park, & Laumeier Sculpture Park

{Original Art Museum & Flight Cage from 1904}

As the host of the 1904 World's Fair, Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country. After all of our heavy BBQ and soul food, it was great to get out on an 8 mile run around this expansive park where remnants from the iconic fair still stand today.


Tower Grove Park is a stone's throw away from Will's mom's house in South City and we always enjoy strolls through this gorgeous park that features a large variety of pavilions fashioned after the architecture of faraway lands (my favorites are the Turkish and Chinese!).


A giant eyeball. Mayan walking circles. Surprise sculptures hidden deep in the woods. Sign me up. Laumeier reminded me a lot of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center, but they take it a step further with random works hidden throughout the woods and over 70 outdoor sculptures. Still gotta love the Spoonbridge and Cherry though.

To Feel the City's French Roots: Soulard Market/Lafayette Square



Unlike the boutique-y, farmers' market full of Lincoln Park moms buying overpriced organics that I’m used to in Chicago, the 233-year-old Soulard Market is much more funky with actual farmers and their overalls and crooked teeth (if they even have any at all...), selling fresh produce and livestock (legit, live chickens) for a fraction of the price.


Neighboring the market is historic Lafayette Square, home to the sprawling Victorian mansions of the flamboyant aristocrats in the 19th century. The ornate details that these homes adorn and their wonderful shades of violet, turquoise, and gold make for eye-popping exquisiteness against the uneven brick sidewalks.

Again sadly, my Soulard/Lafayette photos were deleted so... Images via 1, 2 

8.17.2012

Travel Bug

And so it seems, I've been bit once again.

After staying relatively stationary, at least between Chicago and Minnesota, for most of this year, my itch to travel is coming back at full speed.

This weekend I have the pleasure of staying in St. Louis, Missouri and finally doing all of the activities Will and I try to squeeze in when I visit, but always get side-tracked from by the other festivities of the weekend.


Next, I'll be off on a weekend in Boston to stay with my favorite Bostonian and former DePaulian for a weekend that is sure to be fahkinn retaaahded.


NYC better watch what's coming to them as  I prepare for a week in the Big Apple after my short weekend stint in Beantown. IFB Conference, Fashion Week, and my 23rd birthday all in one... definitely worth skipping the first week of class.

A few months later, a certain, special English love of my life will be making the trip across the pond again for an epic road trip to the other coast -- me and Daisy Durling-Goode taking on the open road to sunny California just when the Midwest winter temperatures kick in and leave us running for the hills.


It's on USA travels.

Images via 1, 2, 3, 4 

8.14.2012

Color Me...Seafoam Green

Color Me...Seafoam Green

Color Me...Seafoam Green by amanda-boleman

For Lollapalooza, I was on the hunt for a new nail polish color that would match the brightness and excitement I was feeling about the weekend. 

I came across Essie's Mojito Madness and knew it would look great on my hands, which would undoubtedly be raised above my head, flying around as I was rocking out to all my favorite artists. 

The color doesn't quite fit the original Crayola Seafoam Green, but the colors reminded me so much of each other and complement each other so well. Looking down at my greenish-tealish-seafoamy toes in the sand, I was instantly taken back to the greens, blues and turquoises of the Mediterranean Sea off the coasts of Italy and Greece. 

Snap back to my reality of soaking up the sun along Lake Michigan with the Chicago skyline looking down on me and the rest of North Ave. beach. Not half bad either. 

shop: authentic original covered pump by jeffrey / gypsy 05 hayley wide leg jumpsuit  / retro rosy earrings / brahmin mojito crossbody bag // 

8.09.2012

Trojan Horse of Troy: Travel Photo of the Day

Çanakkale, Turkey

 

For Will's 21st birthday present, I surprised my favorite history nerd with a trip to see the ruins of Troy. After we decided upon Turkey as our replacement destination for Morocco, he wouldn't stop talking about Homer's hallowed city and how awesome it would be to cross over to the Asian side of the country to explore historical Anatolia on our own journey that would hopefully go better than Odysseuss' treacherous trek back to Ithaca.

Luckily, we didn't have any run-ins with Cyclops or shipwrecks and successfully made it across the Dardanelles for our tour. It was incredible to see a city with 9 different layers, each with its own culture and way of life as the centuries turned--the most mystifying, of course, being the period of the Trojan War complete with Greek Gods & Goddesses playing their role in the 10-year war. 

The horse seen above is from the 2004 Troy movie starring Brad Pitt and now resides beside the seafront in the town of Canakkale. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to hide inside like the Greeks who cleverly snuck their way in to finally defeat Troy (although we got to do so with a replica on the actual site!), but we did get to sit along the sea with hookah and apple tea in hand afterwards, which sounds a hell of a lot better than being cooped up inside an old wooden horse anyway.