New Year's Eve Parties, Anyone?

New Year's Eve parties are some of the most coveted and looked-forward to parties each year, and if you're looking to get that magical kiss at midnight, you need to be dressed your best!
Here are three looks (ranging from inexpensive to very expensive) to spice up your regular sparkly dress!

The first look is an inexpensive one, with lots of sparkle:

(from top left, clockwise: sequined fringe cami dress, $22; metallic band analog watch, $18; faux leather moto jacket (in mauve), $23; cutout ankle boots, $25; shoulder bag, $18)

This look is definitely for someone who isn't afraid to look just a little edgy and ooze a hell of a lot of confidence. This look is only $106--that's pretty good for a full party outfit! I added the pop of light pink in there to tone down the edginess, but put it in a slick watch and leather jacket to give it that extra little punch. If you live in a big city like NYC or LA, this look is sure to get heads turning!

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The second look is a bit more formal, but still not at the top, yet:

(from top left, clockwise: link necklace, $30; back-zip peplum top, $60; multi-strap high heel sandal, $50; beaded clutch bag, $35; shorts with waistband, $50)

This look is definitely more of a dressy casual kind of outfit, with the short shorts and sleeveless top. But, coming in at $225, it's not too bad--especially because all of these pieces can be worn after the party as well. I have some short, black shorts like these, and quite frankly, they're my best friend! I think the pop of red spruces up an otherwise sort of droll look, with just the black. And, I chose to play up on the gold tones, as well--in the necklace, the bottom of the shoes, and in the stripes of the purse.

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And, finally, we have our last, most expensive look:

(from top left, clockwise: dress with full skirt (in red), $80; dents cashmere-lined deerskin gloves (in black), $275; high-collar faux fur jacket, $50; high-heeled mesh bootie, $80; the intermission clutch, $128)

So, this look is definitely for a higher-end party, coming in at $613. If you're going to a swanky party uptown with CEOs and business men, this is a better-suited look. It's got the classic, deep red (that I'm sure you've realized, I love), and the classic fur look. I tried finding a nice stole or capelet, but it was harder to find one than I thought it'd be. And, for the gloves, you could go with the lovely camel colored option J. Crew had, instead of the black. I think it'd look just as chic, and it'd match the fur better.

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I hope you all found this interesting in some way, or useful! I love holiday looks, but I can't wait to get into summer and look at some festival wear!

Happy New Year!

December/2014 Favorites!

This was originally supposed to just be a December favorites post (and part of it will be), but I figured--why not just combine it with my 2014 favorites?

So, we'll start with December favorites first, then!

December has been a pretty good month--just busy! So, here are some of my favorite things this month.

First, we've got my most favorite & prized possession: flannel. Everything, too--shirts, leggings, sheets, pajamas, blankets, you name it. If it's flannel and cozy, I probably own it. I just love how warm it is, and how cute it looks with a pair of leggings and a fur vest and some boots. It's seriously become one of my favorite pieces in my closet--I have close to ten flannel shirts! Flannel sheets are godsend, too. Seriously, you guys. Flannel.
Here are some good flannel options!

plaid flannel shirt (in red tartan), $17.

holiday flannel sheets, $21.

christmas plaid flannel pants (in classic tartan wine), $20.

Next, I've recently been obsessed with eyeshadows--namely, e.l.f.'s, from Target. It's pretty cheap stuff, and the pigmentation isn't great, but it at least gives me a little color on my eyelids and lets me test out looks. I'm loving the 'Flawless Eyeshadow' collection, and namely these few palettes:

e.l.f. flawless eyeshadow, $2.

I'm partial to the Sea Escape, Smoky, & Happy Hour palettes, as they look best on my skin. The Sea Escape (blues) is kind of out there for me, but it's certainly fun to play with!

I've also been recently obsessed with Ariana Grande's homemade music video for 'Santa Tell Me', which is an incredibly catchy (and great) song!
Here's the video:

And, finally, to round out my December favorites, we have a pretty popular pattern... Fair Isle. I've been absolutely hellbent on getting my hands on every single Fair Isle thing I could, and it's been amazing. Here are some good starter sweaters!

fair isle wool sweater (in endive), $30.

harley of scotland fair isle sweater, $170.

Onto my 2014 Favorites!

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To kick off this list, we'll start with something I've been using all year long--Aveda's Color Conserve shampoo! It's seriously the best stuff out there, and honestly, for a normal-sized bottle, it's not too bad, clocking in at about $22. It lasts me about two or three months, which is great! I've just recently gotten highlights, so I needed something that would protect them--and this shampoo does an amazing job.

color conserve shampoo, $22.

Something clothing-related I've latched onto this year (aside from flannel and fair isle) is leggings. If you'd asked me a year ago, I would have told you that they're stupid and uncomfortable and annoying. Now? I'm in love. I've got a million black pairs from Forever 21 that I love to pieces, along with a mix of fun-patterned ones from other places. My go to pair, though, are the black pair from Forever 21. At only about $4, it's worth it to buy a handful.

solid knit leggings, $4.

Another favorite of mine this year was the app 'Timehop'. It lets you see into the past--through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, that is. It's a really cute idea, and when you link up your other social media, you can see everything you wrote/tweeted about/instagrammed in years past. I highly suggest downloading it to get a sense of nostalgia (and to get some great #TBTs!).

download timehop.

A TV-related favorite... Once Upon a Time! I'd gotten into it a few years ago, when it first came on Netflix, and got through about six or seven episodes in one day, then forgot about it. It wasn't until a good friend of mine told me she watched it, and we reconnected over that in January. It's recently become my favorite TV show, and I really don't watch much else! If you haven't seen it yet, it's a TV show that twists and turns classic fairytales on their heads. It really is a great show, and the acting in it is phenomenal. I highly suggest you give it a watch!

watch ouat on netflix.

And, finally, to round out my list of 2014 favorites, I'll put happiness. I've been happier this year than I've been in a really long time, and for a few reasons. Some are obvious, others, not so much. But, I will tell you a few things:

• Getting rid of people you don't need in your life is great. It really does lift a lot off your shoulders, and lowers your stress level.
• Also, getting rid of things you don't like doing does wonders. Quit your job if you hate it (make sure you've got something else lined up, first!). Don't go to college if you don't want to. Obviously, there's a limit, but you need to know what's good for you, and what's making you unhappy.
• Don't dwell on what other people think of you, or your fashion sense, or sense of humor, or whatever. Love yourself, because you're the only you that you get! And, to quote my favorite episode of Parks & Rec: 'Treat yo'self!'--seriously! It sounds ridiculous, but next time you're stressed, take yourself out on a date. You'll end up feeling great afterwards.
• Be yourself. Don't try to curb your likes and dislikes to cater to those around you. If you're doing that, you need to rethink your social groupings.
• Accept change. It sucks, but you know what? More often than not, you find a way to grow from it. Change is inevitable in a world like this, so you need to accept that it's happening, regardless if you want it to or not, and it will leave you behind.

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Anyways, I hope you all have a very, very happy New Year's, and a great 2015! I'm really looking forward to getting into this blog a little further and starting everything up here.

See you all in 2015!

Holiday Haul!

Whew--Christmas can be exhausting!
Luckily, though, I got essentially a whole new wardrobe, which is great and exciting!
So, below the break are the pieces I'm most excited about.

Night at the Museum 3: The End of an Era?

I've grown up with the Night at the Museum movies--and, honestly, they are a lot of the reason why I want to work in a museum someday.

Now, I fully understand that real museum exhibits don't come alive at night. I'd love for them to, honestly. And, sometimes, even if they don't really come alive, just reading about them makes you feel some sort of connection.

It sounds weird, I know--having a connection with someone who's likely not alive any longer, and probably hasn't been for a long time--but, sometimes, you read so much on someone that they no longer seem like this huge, ambiguous person. They seem like someone you could really have a conversation with--which also sounds weird, I suppose.

Enough of my rambling, I guess. Here's my review of the movie!

(major spoilers ahead! you've been warned!)
Honestly? Best movie I've seen in a long time.

And, I see movies pretty frequently.

It perfectly pulled everything to a nice close--but, it did leave a few things open if they really wanted to make another installment (though, I doubt they would without Robin Williams). I thought they did a great job overall, so I'll hit on the most important things:

• New Characters: We meet a lot of new faces in this final movie (Akmenrah's mother & father, played by Anjali Jay & Sir Ben Kingsley;  Lancelot, who ends up being a sort of villain; 'Tilly', the new security guard; Larry's twin, 'La'; among others), and most franchises have a hard time bringing in new characters without taking away from the old. But, the folks at 20th Century Fox knew what they were doing. Each new character melded perfectly with the old, and kept the great quips and friendships growing with each scene. It made it very heartbreaking at the end, when we had to say goodbye to them (much like the second NATM movie, with Amelia Earhart). Even Sir Lancelot, who turned out to be a quasi-villain, was difficult to say goodbye to! And, like the title of this post, it seemed as if it was the end of an era. We were even forced to say goodbye to the new characters (well, save for the last scene of the movie that jumps three years ahead--though, we see Larry Daley, standing outside of the museum and never know if he goes back in or not) and old characters alike. All in all, the new characters were hilarious and perfect additions to the NATM cast.
• The Actual Secret of the Tomb: I thought the backstory was cool for the tablet, and the opening scene that took place in 1938 at the beginning of the movie was interesting. But, something about the whole thing seemed... anticlimactic to me? I mean, all the tablet's issue was the whole time was that it wasn't getting enough moonlight. Like... I don't know. It just seemed kind of anticlimactic for me. But, I mean, it worked for the story and all. I just kind of thought it'd be cooler.
• The Villain: Lancelot seemed like a bit of a long-shot as a villain. Through the first half of the movie, aside from a few shady-looking glances, but I definitely didn't see it coming. Honestly, though, that's kind of what made him great. He was a surprise to the audience, I think, and I love villains like that--especially because he was pretty likable to begin with. I thought he was great, and he redeemed himself the end, which is not something many villains get. Loved him as a character, and liked him as a villain.
• Random Cameos: I feel like a lot of people would be totally up-in-arms about these cameos, but honestly, I thought they were great! Rebel Wilson was hilarious (as usual) as Tilly, and I thought she played a great role, even if it was short. Hugh Jackman was largely unexpected, and I loved it! I gasped when he came onscreen, and asked my best friend who came to see it with me, like, a million times if that was really him (later in the scene, he clarified that for me). Dick Van Dyke was obviously in the first movie, but he didn't get much screentime (and not in this one either, I'm afraid), and it was lovely to see his sweet personality again. I think the cameos were alright in this instance (unlike the obnoxious ones in Sharknado 2--though, that wasn't the only problem with that movie), since they weren't over-sold. I think maybe the Rebel Wilson one was, but she was a pretty crucial part of the plot, so it'd be hard to cut her from trailers. I really did enjoy the little cameos, and I thought they weren't just added for shock value, either.
• Nick Daley: Oh, Nick. Seriously, I hated him within the first five minutes of the movie. His first scene, the one where he took over his dad's apartment with a part, pissed me off, and didn't seem like the kid we were used to in the other two movies. He suddenly decided that he wasn't going to college (which was fine), then used the fact that his dad didn't go to college as an excuse. It really rubbed me the wrong way at first, but just as I suspected, I knew I'd like him again at the end. He redeemed himself at the end when he told his dad that he had a plan worked out. Larry cares so much for his son, just like any other dad, and it was hard seeing this teenager who just had no respect for that. I mean, it's certainly not unheard of in this age, but it was different, seeing it on the screen. I don't know. Nick ended up being alright, but I was a bit up and down for him throughout the movie.
• Robin Williams: I knew before I even saw the trailers for this movie that seeing it would be hard. It's been hard to watch any Robin Williams movies lately, because, again, like the NATM franchise, I grew up watching the movies with him in it--Hook, Mrs. Doubtfire, Flubber, Dead Poet's Society... The list goes on. And, this movie felt like a bit of a closure on his passing. It was a great closure, though. I feel like his role as Teddy Roosevelt really captured his personality, and the way Teddy spoke when he was saying his goodbyes to Larry at the end... It was hard, and I certainly cried, but it was such a great way to honor a man everyone loved. And, if you haven't seen it yet, stay until after the main credits are done rolling. You won't regret it, I swear.
• The Goodbyes: Like I said above, I cried. A lot. And, it wasn't even because it was all that sad--I rarely cry at movies. I cry at closure. As much as I'd much rather have it in the long-run, having closure hurts because... It ends. Everything is over. That's it. And, this goodbye was perfect. Larry was able to say goodbye to all of his friends just before the sun started rising, and in each interaction, you could really see the friendship and how it had grown over the three movies. The part that really hit home was this last scene, and I wish I could watch it over and over again. It really was the perfect ending to a great trilogy.

Like I said earlier, this is most likely the last in the NATM franchise. And, while that makes me terribly sad, it also gives me a great amount of hope. Hope that I can go forth and work in a museum and teach people about all of these historical figures, these people that changed and shaped the world--whether they knew it or not.

I have a challenge for all of you: next time you go into a museum, meet an exhibit. I don't mean go look at it for .5 seconds, then walk away. Really read up on it, sit and appreciate it for a moment. It really does change you, whether you realize it or not. We're all important, and though we may not all be put into a museum when we're older or gone from the world, we all have a tremendous impact on it.

And, sometimes, it just takes a little imagination to prove that so.

Holiday Parties? No Problem!

Sometimes picking an outfit for a party can be incredibly stress-inducing! And, though it's nearing the end of the holiday season, there are still many a holiday parties to be attended!
Here are some outfits to get the gears in your head turning!

My first outfit is a simple one--it's an easy silhouette and looks great on most women!

(from top left, clockwise: plaid-printed matelassé

 top, $16; wool biker jacket, $69; faux leather envelope bag, $20; bow-tie flats, $20; circle skirt, $13)

So, this look is pretty simple and mostly inexpensive--it comes out to about $140 for all of it. It's a bit less casual than the rest of the looks I have picked out, so if casual is what you're looking for, this is it! I really adore that plaid top, and I wish I had somewhere to wear it. I think going with a pretty monochromatic look is always good, then adding in a pop of color somewhere--be it a necklace (which I didn't add, because I thought it'd be too much with the top), a clutch/purse, or, like I chose, a coat. This one from Gap is one of my favorites, and I really wish I could justify buying another red coat!

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Here's look number two:

(from top left, clockwise: merino wool tippi sweater (in sea grass), $80; tiered rhinestone bib necklace, $19; iridescent metallic wristlet, $10; ankle boots, $40; layered tulle mini skirt, $20)

I think this is one of my favorite looks! I chose not to put a coat with this one (though, I think it'd be easy--a black, wool one would work nicely), so it comes to about $170 without a coat. I was going to put a red sweater on top, but I feel like around the holidays, so many people go immediately for red, and not for the beautiful, rich greens. This Tippi sweater is one of my favorites, and it's definitely going to be a color in my wardrobe this coming year. Emerald was technically the color of this year, but I think it can easily work its way into 2015. It's such a timeless color! Anyways, I chose a huge statement necklace for this one, and a cute wristlet to match it--I thought that would spice the outfit up again--though, I adore the tulle skirt!

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Here's a more expensive, high-end sort of look: 

(from top left, clockwise: toscana shearling hat, $150; long necklace, $18; flared jumpsuit dress, $129; the lois heel, $120; majesty peacoat, $298)

This look is by far more expensive than the other two, coming in at a whopping $715. But, hey, you would be the talk of the party in this look. It's a very classic silhouette, and I tried keeping to a mostly white & black palette to keep that classic look--only adding a bit of red in the necklace. This look was a bit harder to pull together, but I'm quite fond of the end result! And, can we talk about that fur hat? I would wear that all the time if I had one!

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I hope this helped you figure out what kind of party look you're going for--I'm working on a New Year's Eve party post as we speak, so hopefully that will be posted soon.

Happy Holidays!

How Does One Survive a TV show hiatus?

Well, it's that time of year again.

No TV shows are broadcasted past the second-to-last Sunday before Christmas, leaving just Christmas movies and re-runs of Christmas-themed episodes to be shown until sometime in January (or, March, for ABC).

So, how does one survive a hiatus lasting longer than two weeks?

Well, hopefully, all of this will help you.

• Binge-watch the whole series on Netflix. Most shows are on there nowadays, so why not just watch all nine seasons of How I Met Your Mother over the span of a few weeks? But, this one was obvious, I think.
• Find a new show to be sucked into. Like I said, there are so many shows on Netflix--and they span all kinds of genres. So, why not finally start watching that one show you just never had the time to get into? There are millions of the mout there, and I'm sure if you asked a friend, they'd give you some good options. (Personally? Once Upon a Time, for the fantasy/fairytale lovers; Reign, for those who like period dramas and fancy dresses; Parks & Recreation, for those wanting a good chuckle; and, Firefly for those looking for some great Joss Whedon writing.)
• Start up a hobby you now have time for. See, there isn't really anything to blog about over a hiatus--not until it gets closer to the premiere. So, expand your horizons! Maybe you've wanted to start knitting, or drawing, or writing. Maybe you haven't seen your best friend in a while. Maybe you could go out and meet people. The possibilities are endless, and now, your free!
• Plan your premiere party. Because, let's be real--you're totally having one. Start talking to your friends about it--or, rope them into it, if they aren't into the show, yet. Maybe you could invite that cute guy in the apartment two doors down from you that you've only spoken to once, but you are sure that he watches Parks & Rec--where else would that great humor come from? Then, you've got to get food, obviously. It's a little early in the game yet, so maybe just start by writing what you'd like to have. And, duh, party favors. Whether it's plastic crowns for the Reign-lovers, or mini-TARDISes for the Whovians, you have to have something to remind you of the night!
• Just hang in there. Show hiatuses can be stressful--especially if you don't know how to spend them. But, do not fret. There are at least thousands of other people in the same boat as you. And, regardless of what you ship/don't ship, we are all in this together.

It sucks that there's this weird, Winter break, but you can make the best of it. Remember--its a time of being with family, and relaxing.

Now, when does the the hiatus end again?

Introducing Me!

I figured that my first blog post ought to be a little bit about me, so you understand what you're dealing with. I should preface that if by the end of this, you don't think I'm a little ridiculous, or eccentric, then you need to read all of this again!

Anyways, if you haven't figured out yet, my name is Meghan. I go by that name, but feel free to call me whatever you want, as long as it's within reason (some suggestions are Meg or Megatron)!

I'm currently in my second year of college, about four hours from my hometown. I'm a History and Communications double-major, and hoping to work in a museum when I graduate! As you read in my short about me up top, I'm a history buff! If you want to talk history with me, please do. Seriously. I'll talk about it all day long with you!

Outside of school, I love writing. I mostly write small, short articles, and things on my favorite TV show, Once Upon a Time. I also spend some time drawing and doodling--in class, at work, at home, basically anywhere I've got a pen & something to draw on! I may or may not post some here--it would have to be something more substantial than a simple doodle.

I'm not sure there's much else for me to say here, so with that being said, welcome to my blog!