The rain falls hard on this humdrum town...

Rain Coat: My mom

Blouse: Forever 21

Skirt: H&M

Tights: Target

Boots: TJ Maxx

Ring: Fred Flare

 

Yesterday was an unbelievably rainy day. It was raining really obese cats and dogs, it was cold, and there was no light to speak of, so no photo shoot that day. Instead, I decided that I would spend the whole day in my pajamas. It was a good call. I got a lot of things done. I updated my blog layout, played about thirty rounds of computer solitaire and practiced a few orchestra pices on my cello.

Inspired by yesterday's rain and Gene Kelly's birthday (you know Singing in the Rain?) I decided to do a rainy day themed outfit post today.

So that's pretty much it, no excessive writing today. Don't forget to follow me on my new twitter account, and my blog on bloglovin' or blogger. Also, sometime in the future I'm planning to do an about me post, but I want to talk about what you guys want to know, so ask me anything on my formspring.

Listening to: William, It Was Really Nothing by the Smiths

Keep moving forward...

So, as you might have noticed (if you've been on the blog before) there have been many improvements to the blog. What readers might not know about me is that I'm a perfectionist and I need things looking good. The blog was starting to look a little messy to me so I decided to make it snazzy and new looking with a fresh color palate. I also added a new banner and buttons to organize my mess of badges.

There is another new development... as of about fifteen minutes ago I made a twitter account! I've resisted twitter for quite some time, but i decided it would be a great way to connect more with everyone and network some more.

Also, one more thing...

I was thinking about doing a post about me based on questions asked on formspring (I haven't done an about me post yet). So I'm asking you guys to ask some questions and I'll answer them. Fun, right?

Anyways, goodnight, I'm exhausted...

Well our mamas, they left us, and our daddies took a ride...

Yesterday night, lacking anything better to do, my sister and I walked to the a for mentioned fair to take some pictures for the blog. We promised each other we wouldn't waste any money on rides, or games, just some caramel apples. Armed with our camera, we entered the hillbilly haven. We just decided to act like this was all new to us, and to enjoy ourselves. So we people watched, ate some carnival food, took way too many pictures and had a surprising amount of fun (and made fun...). So here are some of the many pictures we took (for more pictures click here).

"Its this long!"

Miniuture ponies!!!

An awkward picture in front of the swings...

Listening to: Jangilin' by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Ah Home, Yes I am Home...

As you know from my "about me" (if you didn't read it that's okay) I live in a really small town in which I've lived my whole life. My town is usually quiet, except for the second to last weekend of August when there is a gigantic fair in town. It's absolute hoopla. When I was a little girl I loved it; the carnival rides, the cotton candy, the rigged games that you can't win at, but waste your money at anyways. As I've gotten older I've lost most appreciation for the fair. Now I see it more as a weirdo attractor and peace disturber. Most of this spite is because of it's proximity to my house (about a quarter mile). I usually avoid the fair at all costs, but then I realized that you, the readers, might like a little taste of small town charm, so I decided to take a few pictures throughout the weekend, these first ones are from the parade that comes before the fair (told you it was a big hoopla!)

Kilts! And bagpipes are the most beautiful of all instruments. NOT. Especially when they were practicing for an hour in front of your house!

He kind of reminds me of Papa Smurf...

Old people in old cars...

Anna, smiling, in front of a fire truck...

More kilts...

A leather clad marching band...

People watching the parade at  a pot-luck picnic...

My favorite picture of the day, a fully bearded saxaphone player...

Anna walking in the middle of our blocked off road...

Me, not looking like a hot mess (at all) ...

Part two coming soon...

I found myself while I was away...

Sorry that I've been such a bad blogger lately, I thought I was well when I wrote my last post, but then I relapsed. I felt so lousy, and though I'm not completely better, I finally feel well enough to blog again! It's exactly eleven days until I go to school and I haven't packed at all yet, also because of my illness. I was going to try to today, but I want to get some sleep (I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in forever). My problem with packing is that I want to bring all of my clothes, which isn't possible when you have a dorm room the size of a lifer's prison cell (actually, maybe theirs is a little bigger).  I am a little worried about what will happen to the blog when I get to college. Who will take my pictures? Will I have time for it? I haven't yet told my roommate, because I don't know how to explain fashion blogging, but it seems like she would understand because she loves creative things. I'll tell her sometime...

Dress: H&M

Clogs: Jeffrey Campbell via FreePeople.com

Ring: Slightly sketchy jewelery store in a ghetto mall

On a different note, look at that awesome connector ring on my fingers! Isn't it the best. I've been loving connector rings for a while, but I haven't been able to wear any because of my chubby fingers. I'm usually a size eight in rings, but in those pesky connector rings both finger holes are the same size, despite the well known fact that middle fingers are chubbier that ring fingers (I don't actually know if that's a well known fact, it's just a characteristic I observed in my own fingers). Anyways, I went to this really ghetto mall in a town I've never been in, with my sister and a bunch of her college friends. There Anna (my sister), Brianna (her friend), and I decided not to go into the normal stores, but the strange ones, like this giant dollar store, a wood carving store, and a store called Pretty Woman that sold bedazzled braziers. Somehow during or strange excursion, we ended up at this accessory store that was kind of shady, but surprisingly, despite it's sketchy exterior, it had some pretty amazing jewelry. I found these amazing connector rings that had stretchy ring holes! Finally there was a solution to my fat finger dilemma. So now I'm finally rocking the connector ring and loving it!

Also another thing, I just entered this contest on Chictopia called the Make Life Juicy contest by Juicy Couture. So basically, you enter an outfit photo and say how you make our life juicy. As you guys know, I'm not exactly the most glamorous person in the world but I wrote this...

How do I make life Juicy? Do I go to the most exclusive and fabulous parties? No. Do I go on extravagant shopping sprees? No. Do I carry around a small yippee dog with an emasculating name? No. Today I studied some textbooks so I can know the material before college classes start. Then I picked up my room and went to the grocery store. Glamorous, right? Okay, so maybe I don’t lead the most exotic life (I’m actually quite the nerd), but I make it juicy with the smallest things. First of all I always get dressed up, no matter where I’m going. Going to Wal-Mart to buy some storage boxes for school I wore a dress and high heeled clogs. Practical, no. But very juicy! I also make sure I am always wearing a large and impractical ring, usually with some sort of bedazzled animal on it. Granted, I can’t do much in them, but they make me feel important, like some sort of Maleficent like villain (check Sleeping Beauty for the reference). The component that makes my life the most juicy is my blog The Girl in the Paper Dress . Every time I take pictures I feel like a supermodel, though I am only a nerdy 18 year old bio major. Every time I update it with my thoughts or talk about events in my life, it makes my life just a little more important. During these three months of blogging, this mostly narcissistic practice has made my life a little juicier.

Here's a link the the Chictopia post: CLICK HERE

 

Listening to: The Orchard by Ra Ra Riot

(I love orchards, FUN FACT: I actually live on a part of an old apple orchard)

You're sure to do impossible things, if you follow your heart...

I know very cheesy title and yes, I've been gone from the blogging world for quite some time. The break was in part caused by at the beginning laziness and towards the end, illness. But now I'm back and will now tell you about the title. So, I was at Target the other day looking for some final things for my dorm. I was frolicking around the children's area (where there are all of the toys and baby books, including this big foot toy display, which if you pressed a red button on the display it would make a big fuss by dancing and roaring (off topic?)) Anyways, I was in that section when I started to look at some kid' movies for $5 and there was my childhood favorite, Thumbelina. When I got home I was so excited about it I put it into my little sister's TV/ DVD player as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I jammed the DVD player, because there was another DVD in there before I put Thumbelina in there (my enthusiasm usually end in disaster). After sticking long flat objects into the DVD slot for about an hour, my father took the TV apart and retrieved both DVD's, though Thumbelina ended up quite scratched. I was so upset, but I wanted to check for sure if it was scratched. So I put it in the DVD player and watched it, the whole thing! It ended up working perfectly fine. As for the title, that's some lyrics to one of the Thumbelina songs.

Beret: American Apparel

Dress: Tulle (tulle4us.com)

Tights: Target

Clogs: Jeffery Campbell via Free People

I know it's still summer, but it was cold today and I've decided to enter this outfit in the Modcloth style contest on Weardrobe. Click here to like it and help me win (I probably won't, I'm such an optimist!)

Anyways I guess, after that riveting story I'll talk about my outfit. I'll start with the shoes. These are the most amazing shoes I've ever owned (even better that my jellies in 1st grade). I just received them in the mail today along with some of my college textbooks. When I first ordered them online it I had nightmares because they were sooooo much money ($145 including shipping). Yes, it's alot of money. And yes, I will probably not be buying anything else for a while. But, I see them as an investment. If I wear them all the time then they'll be worth the money.

This is a really funny picture because it's so candid. My mom was taking pictures and wanted me to read out of my new chemistry textbook. As I glanced at it I was shocked at the content. It was completely foreign to me.

This may seem off topic, but yesterday I was shopping with my mother and sisters my  mother was being helped by a very nice women. She casually asked what the ages of my two sister's and I were. My youngest sister says 11, my older sister says 19, and then I say 18. She was shocked. She then told me that I looked like her 14 year old daughter! I am so tiered of this.  I was getting my hair cut about a month ago and the one of the stylists asked my mom what grade I was going into. She said that I was going to be a freshman. He asks, "High school?" And when my mom responded with the correct answer s he says, "I could have sworn she was in High school." Ahhh! I feel like there is a certain expectation, set by the media, to look and dress a certain way. I'm supposed to wear tons of make up, and wear revealing clothes. Especially with people in their mid-twenties playing teenagers in movies and teen stars like Miley Cyrus, dressing disgustingly and sending skanky messages. I'm not like that and refuse to do that. I rather look a little younger than look like I'm trying to hard. That's a little revelation. I just had. Thanks for reading.

Watching: Thumbelina

 P.S. Don't forget to follow my blog through Blogger or Bloglovin' and if you have any questions you can ask me on formspring (I'll eventually put them on an about me post) or e-mail me. Also thanks for all of the supportive comments. They always put a giant smile on my face. As for the sponsor thing I was contemplating a few posts ago, I think I'm going to wait until my blog grows a little bigger. Thanks for all the feedback though!

On creative pursuits...

Last post I was whining about how I haven't done anything creative in such a long time. This in part because I just met my college roommate (on facebook) and we have so much in common it's ridiculous. We love Disney movies, watching medical specials on TLC, and doing crafts. She talked about all of the crafts she has done, and I told her all about mine. It made me miss doing all of those creative things. So I decided to dig out some photos of one of my favorite creative activities, cutting paper snowflakes...

It may seem kind of odd to be pulling these out mid summer, but one of my favorite things to make are these snowflakes. I started making them because around Christmas time I was going though a tremendous amount of stress. I dealt with it by making these. I would make about 10 -15 intricate flakes a day all day. I would even cut during classes (surprisingly it didn't effect my grades at all).

These are a few of my best, though my masterpiece isn't displayed. The best one I made took me hours to make. It's an extremely delicate scene of a present under a Christmas tree. Each present has a different design cut out of it and almost every centimeter of the flake is cut out in some sort of design. I'll have to dig it out and show you guys some day.

Well, this was fun. I can't wait until I start my newest creative project! I'm going to make a dress inspired by the new Alexa Chung by Madewell collection. In it there is a velvet dress with a sweet peter pan collar and 3/4 length sleves. Because I'll probably be unable to afford it and have a ton of extra burn orange velvet left over from upholstering my bed I have decided to create my own. I am so excited. I'm glad I'm almost out of my creative rut!

They ensure me health, life and fire...

Today, I did two outfit shoots. The first was outside in the morning. There was the most amazing lighting. Unfortunately the photographer, my older sister Anna, was not enthusiastic about it at all. She snapped about four awkward, unflattering pictures then ran away. So those were no good. The second was at 10:00 pm and my mom wanted to help me get better outfit pictures. So she took the following. I like posing with the cello, but the artificial light was terrible. So we shall attempt a cello photo shoot another day.

Top: Free People

Skirt and shoes: H&M

I've been in kind of a rut latley. Just in everything. I realsized that I haven't done anything creative in a really long time. I haven't sewed, collaged, or even done origami, in forever. It sort of depressed me. I want to spend the rest of my summer crafting and having fun. However, there is the issue of money. I have a job, working for my dad and I'm trying to save up money for spending in college. However, as I've said before, I dropped two sizes since last fall and have absolutley no fall clothes. And I can't seem to afford anything. I'm trying to think of extra ways to earn money and I came up with one, but I don't think my blog is ready for it. Sponsors. First of all I have no clue how to do it. How do people pay? How much do I charge? Also who would want to advertise on my blog? I have no delusions about my blog, I know it's small and not widely read. Also my blog is just a fetus right now (too graphic?). It has just grown fingernails, it isn't even close to being able to be born. Maybe I would be jumping the gun a little bit. I have no clue. I will sleep on it.

What do you guys think?

By the way, sorry I look so evil in these pictures. I've been in a particularly sassy mood lately due to a lack of dairy in my diet. The doctor asked me to refrain from eating anything with dairy in it to isolate it as an allergy. I've been so upset about it becaue all my favorite things contain milk (ice cream, Italian food, chocolate bars).  I can't wait until this is over!

Listening to: Beat (Health, Life & Fire) by Portland Cello Project feat. Thao

P.S. Someone wrote me that the music on the blog was slightly overbearing, and I couldn't agree more (I usually have my computer on mute, so I just discovered this). I changed it so you can just press the play button on the music player and decide for yourself if you want to listen to the playlist. Thank you so much anonymous person. If you have any suggestions (I love constructive criticism) or anything you want to ask me you can just ask me on my formspring or e-mail me at girlinthepaperdress@gmail.com

My August Playlist!

So if you’ve been following my blog for a while you’ve probably noticed the newest addition, Music. Anyways, I wasn’t originally going to do this, but I’m making a new playlist each month. The playlist is going to consist of music that I’ve been listening to lately and that go well with the blog’s feel. Here’s the list and comments about a few songs…

An unflattering picture of me on my laptop. I didn't want this to be a pictureless post. I look slightly entranced by the computer screen. I wonder what I was doing?

• We Used to Wait by Arcade Fire: This is one of my favorite songs from Arcade Fire’s new album, The Suburbs. It’s about a longing for time’s past where the simple things were precious (or at least that’s my interpretation). One of my favorite lines is “It seems strange, how we used to wait for letters to arrive. But what's stranger still, is how something so small can keep you alive.”

• Airplanes by Local Natives: Local Natives is my new obsession. They are amazing. I wanted the make the whole playlist them, but decided against it (people need variety). This song makes me cry almost every time I listen to it. It’s about one of the band member’s grandfather that he never got to know. It reminds me of my great grandmother and how people say we are so alike, and I wish I could have known her.

• Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine: I love this song especially for my blog because it invokes the feeling of a fairytale, all of her music does. My blog name is actually based on my favorite (but slightly obscure)fairytale from childhood, “The Three Dwarfs in the Wood” where the protagonist is forced to go find strawberries in the woods, in the snow, wearing a paper dress (hence the name). I’ll write more about the story another time.

• 
  
  Perfection as a Hipster by God Help the Girl: I love they’re sound. Catherine Ireton has the perfect voice. And I can relate to this line, “How should I wear my problem hair, my dirty, no good problem hair?” (It’s my life, I never know what to do with my hair, I don’t do anything to it, just brush it. Any suggestions would be great.)
• 
  
  Oh, La by Ra Ra Riot: I can’t get enough of those strings. If everything works out I’m probably going to see Ra Ra Riot preform in September. I’ve loved them for years so can’t wait!

** Tiered of writing, now the songs are just going to have a comment or two, possibly none at all. (I’m so  lazy at 12:45 am) **

• Cemetry Gates by the Smiths: They’re the Smiths. They’re amazing. That’s it.
• Eet by Regina Spektor: Her voice is haunting…
• I Can Try by Sambassadeur: I love my strings!
• Love Lost by the Temper Trap:  Invokes longing. Also makes me think of 500 Days of Summer.
• Number One Son by Camera Obscura: Camera Obscura never disappoints.
• Overnite Religion by Kurt Vile: My sister and I listened to this in our Jeep as we drove through a dirt road in the woods/ nature reserve. It was picturesque to say the least.
• Quelqu'un m'a dit by Carla Bruni: I don’t understand a word of French, but the song is beautiful nonetheless.
• Small Town Crew by the Brunettes: It suits the blog because I’m from a very small town. It only consists of 1,800 people (about half only live here on the weekends).
• Why Do You Let Me Stay Here by She & Him
• Windstorm by School of Seven Bells
• Yulia by Wolf Parade
• 40 Day Dream by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero

So that’s my playlist.

If you have any suggestions for my blog, PLEASE, suggest. Is there anything I’m missing? Any type of post I should do? Something I can change in the layout? Anything, I’m trying to improve, my feelings don’t get hurt easily. I thrive off constructive criticism. Also if you have any questions you can ask me a question on formspring or, better yet e-mail me at girlinthepaperdress@gmail.com.

Well, good night, I’m pooped.

I never took my true heart, I never wrote it down...

Blouse: Urban Outfitters

Cardigan: J*Crew

Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Vintage

Truthfully, I don't feel likewriting much today. I'm tiered form going to the doctor and getting four viles of blood drawn for allergy testing. It made my arm hurt. So enjoy the pictures, they do say 1,000 words each.

Yeah, another picture...

My lovely saddle shoes.

Listening to: We Used to Wait by Arcade Fire