Outfit: Embroidered Boho

I bought this dress on Friday with my friend Avra when I was out doing some damage to my wallet (ie. shopping) and wore it the next day to celebrate her birthday! It was a fun evening with a bunch of us girls eating sushi, going to The Melting Pot for dessert, and drinking some champagne. Happy 24th birthday, Avra! 

By the way, how cute is this dress? It has the same embroidery as one of my favorite gray sweaters, so I knew I had to get it (plus I had $5 off for my birthday). Wearing it makes me feel very bohemian, which is always a good thing for summer. Now I just have to make sure all the food I'm eating goes into my mouth and not onto my lap.

P.S. -- I linked up with The Modern Austen's Sunday Best!

Dress: Charming Charlie | Cardigan: old | Necklace: DIY (stone found at Joanne's) 

Shoes: Payless {cool option} | Lipstick: Covergirl's Smoochies in #luv u

What's going to be your go-to outfit this summer?

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Lusting: Striped Shoes

I'm not sure how it started, but lately I've been liking the look of striped shoes. It's kind of fun and unexpected, and spruces up a lazy weekend outfit of a t-shirt and jeans, or a simple dress. I rediscovered a pair of navy and red striped loafers that my mom thrifted a few years ago (you can see my outfit here), and wore them three times last week.  

(via Alexandra Dieck, Pinterest, ShoeMint, Pinterest, Pinterest, Shannon Hearts, Pinterest, Shoedazzle & Pinterest)

Are you into striped shoes? 

Yay or nay?

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My Favorite Foreign Movies & TV Shows

Thanks to Netflix, for years I've been able to watch foreign movies. Now I've been getting more into foreign TV shows because of Netflix and now DramaFever, a website and app that lets you watch Korean and Spanish shows for free. Call me obsessed! 

Anyway, so technically anything that's not American is foreign for me, so that also means other English-speaking countries, but I decided to pick movies and TV shows in other languages because I think those are the most fun to watch. It's nice listening to other languages and seeing other cultures. 

So these are some of my favorites...so far. I'm always watching more.

MOVIES

Amelie

(French) Everyone knows this movie, but I had to include it because it's so charming. It's about a young woman (Audrey Tautou), who decides to bring happiness to others by performing small acts. It's so cute and one of my favorites. 

Finding Mr. Destiny

(South Korean) This is one of my new favorites. It's a rom-com about Ji-woo (Him Soo-jung), a young woman who is forced to find her old love so that she can move on, but while searching for him she falls in love with Gi-joon (Gong Yoo), the young man who opened the First Love Agency. It's funny and adorable. 

P.S. -- See the outfits inspired the characters!

Time Traveler: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

(Japanese) This is a sci-fi film with heart since it's about Akari (Riisa Naka), a teenager who goes to the past to save her mother. Her mother, a pharmaceutical researcher, made a formula to travel to the past, but is now in a coma. Akari travels to the 1970s to find her mother's first, but ends up falling in love herself. 

Populaire

(French) This is a rom-com about set in 1958. Rose Pamphyle (Deborah Francois) leaves town and applies to be a secretary; her new boss Louis (Romain Duris) discovers that she can type at an extraordinary speed and enrolls her in a typing competition. This is a fun movie that will have you rooting for Rose. 

Heartbreaker

(French) Alex (Romain Duris) is a charming man who is paid to break up women who are in unhappy relationships. His team consists of his sister Melanie (Julie Ferrier) and his funny brother-in-law Marc (Francois Marc). They get a well-paying job to break up Juliette (Vanessa Paradis) with her English fiance (Andrew Lincoln), but things get complicated when Alex starts to fall for Juliette. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

(Swedish) Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) is so bad ass that I couldn't not include this. This movie (or rather series of movies) is interesting, complicated, and hard to watch. While I liked the American version, there's something about the Swedish version (maybe the way it doesn't try too hard?) that works better for me. Don't watch this if you don't like violence. 

TV SHOWS

I haven't seen many foreign shows in other languages because it's hard to find them. It's easy to watch South Korean shows because they're usually only 16 to 21 episodes long. There's no waiting for season 2 since most of them are only one season. I'm looking forward to watching more!

To the Beautiful You

(South Korean) This is my absolute favorite! It's hilarious, emotional, and fun to watch. All of the characters drew me in and felt like real people. It's about Goo Jae-hee (Sulli), a girl who pretends to be a boy and goes to an all-boy school in order to help Kang Tae-joon (Minho), a famous high-jumper who was injured. You won't regret watching this!

Shut Up & Let's Go / Shut Up Flower Boy Band

(South Korean) A group of poor teenagers in a rock band called Eye Candy have to transfer to a rich school when their old ones closes. Soon, they start getting some attention by people in the music industry, but in order to keep their contract they have to remain in school, where they don't get along with the boys in Strawberry Fields, another band. 

Flower Boy Next Door

(South Korean) Go Mok-mi (Park Shin-hye) is a shy copywriter who only leaves her apartment or interacts with people when it's necessary. She steals peeks at her neighbor across the street by using binoculars, but when her neighbor's cousin Enrique Geum (Yoon Shi-yoon), who is visiting from Spain, catches her looking through the window her orderly world is turned upside down. This show is cute, emotional, and deals with bullying. 

Do you have any recommendations?

I would love to watch more Indian, German, and French shows.

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Inspired By: The Classics Vol. 8

We're already at Volume 8 of The Classics Series! Awesome, right? Since it's summertime (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), I chose journey books because people tend to travel more when it's warm. Have you read any of the books below? I read The Adventures of Huckberry Finn and some of Moby Dick, but gave up because it's so dense. 

Any books in particular you would like to see next time?

The Jungle Book

{Click here for item info}

Written by Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book consists of 14 tales, the most well-known is about Mowgli, a boy raised by a pack of wolves and the wild animals of the jungle. 

For a casual look that is perfect for summer and lounging around in trees or hammocks, wear a palm tree print kimono, an embroidered white crop top, green shorts, a colorful bracelet, and tan sandals. Or go for a fancier but still wild look: a leaf print crop top, a black pleated skirt, a tiger ring, and black wedges. 

Buy the Book: B&N | Amazon

Moby Dick

Written by Herman Melville, this is the epic story of Captain Ahab and his maniacal, life-long journey to find and kill the great sperm whale that destroyed his former ship and left him crippled. This is essentially a tale about obsession, man vs. nature, and man vs. self. 

While aboard a ship, you need something comfortable and functional, so wear a blue hoodie, black romper, whale ring, and black booties. Or wear a gray cardigan, light gray tunic, black leggings, whale print scarf, and black flats. 

Buy the Book: B&N | Amazon

Gulliver's Travels

Written by Jonathan Swift, this story is about Lemuel Gulliver, who travels to four extraordinary realms: Lilliput, where people are six inches tall; Brobdingnab, a land of giants; Laputa, a flying island, and to a place where intelligent horses are served by savage humanoids. 

You want to look your best when meeting new people, especially when you're in fantastical places, so wear a lace blue dress, black sunglasses, a gold cuff, and black wedges. Or wear a black and white striped dress with a blue necklace, blue bracelet, travel journal, and brown cut-out wedges. 

Buy the Book: B&N | Amazon

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Written by Mark Twain, this tale is about Huckleberry Finn, a rebellious young boy who doesn't want to society to make him civilized, so he saves Jim, the runaway slave, and the two of them take a raft down the Mississippi River. Along the journey, the two becomes friends and Huck Finn learns about responsibility. 

Go casual in the hot Southern sun by donning a baseball cap, a red plaid top, distressed jean shorts, lots of bracelets, and blue Toms. Or for a trendy look, wear a striped crop top, distressed overalls, dotted Keds, and a brown crossbody bag. 

Buy the Book: B&N | Amazon

Which outfit is your favorite?

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Birthday Wishlist

My 25th birthday is in a few weeks! I can't believe that on June 22nd I'm going to be half a century old! Doesn't it seem like the years go faster and faster? In the blink of an eye, I'll be eighty with four grandkids. I'm excited to have a low-key celebration with my friend Avra. Her birthday is a week before mine on the 15th, so we want to go to Alice's Tea Cup to have tea and their warm, buttery scones. It's the best way to celebrate your birthday if you ask me!

My Birthday Wishlist:

♥ Pink eShakti dress -- So pretty and I love the color

♥ Kate Spade glasses ring -- Too cute!

♥ Alex and Ani feather bracelet -- I already bought this and I love it!

♥ Colorblock bag -- I don't need anymore crossbody bags, but I like the colorblocking

♥ Stila Stay All Day lipstick -- I've heard great things about this lipstick

♥ Ban.do frills tumbler -- I love my chevron tumbler, but I have to say this one is so adorable

♥ Camera bag -- Sturdy, burgundy, made in the U.S. 

♥ Canon Rebel T3i -- WANT! I have over $400 towards it already!

♥ Shop Ruche polka dot dress -- The most darling dress ever

What are you hoping to get for your birthday?

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