Get Enough of Dree

Birthday Girl

What should be on my birthday list: pots, pans, practical things.

What is on my birthday list: these Coach heels. I could wear them with everything. And with that neutral color, they're practical, too. Right?

Rag & Bone Resort 2011

Cool Scene Hair Colors

Scene kids like to spray various colors on their hair. The most common ones are black, blonde and brown dyes. However occasionally you can spot rainbow colored hair too. You can apply tints of pink, blue or blonde to certain selected streaks to the black scene hair. In case your tresses are blonde, then pink, green or electric blue streaks would look awesome. You can even highlight the fringes of hair with green or purple shades. The most widespread hairstyle amidst people with blonde hair is to have blonde with black beneath. In order to attain this kind of style, raise the outer layer and fasten it with clips or foil strips. Now dye the base layer with the black color. In the end you will attain the much loved facade. The method can be reversed and you can have blonde beneath. There is an alternative whereby you keep your natural color of the hair while getting a few highlights, according to your style. Brown or black hair with some other color at the back looks tremendous. Pink streaks interspersed in blonde leave a stunning effect. Now-a-days red and orange streaks in black hair are the most happening color schemes going on amongst the scene boys.

London Legs

Sienna Miller sighting in Mayfair in London, 24 June 2010.

New York, I Love You

I have been reading New York Magazine's annual summer-in-the-city issue with more enthusiasm then ever because, well, I'm going to be moving to New York. In August. For good.

I don't have a place to live or a place to work—yet—but I'll be freelancing for a few websites and enthusiastically looking for something full-time.

Over the next month, I'm going to be chronicling my adventures in looking for apartments, packing my belongings, buying big-kid things (purchase #1: a real stove-top teapot), and kissing Missouri goodbye.

If anyone has advice, especially regarding NYC housing, I would be forever grateful.

From Sunlight to Twilight

While I'll never have half the attitude of Kristen Stewart, I can copy-cat her style in the past month's Vogue by buying this metallic mini for less than half the price.

Kristen and J. Crew both styled theirs tucked into a chambray buttondown, which I, luckily, already have.

What I don't have? Two hundred bucks to spend on a metallic mini.

Poolside

I'm about to head home for the first time this summer, and I'm looking forward to some quality time with my parent's pool (and my parents, too, of course!). In addition to my favorite neglected bikini, I'm mostly just be packing a big stack of magazines and books. My plan is to read Eat Pray Love before the movie comes out, but my summer reading list is expanding as fast as the summer's blinking by. (The latest on my literary wish list? Anthropology of an American Girl.)

I'll finally be able to wear this dress as it is truly intended to be worn -- a pool cover-up. What was a $12 impulse purchase has ended up being one of my favorite items of the summer, but as cute as it looks layered under cardigans and over camisoles, it will undoubtedly look cutest poolside.

The Dress

Kate Bosworth in a Calvin Klein dress - 2006.

The Thrill of the Hunt

The way I see it is this: Old Navy is sort of like a vintage store, in that I really have to dig and oftentimes I come up empty-handed, but when I do score, I strike gold.

This skirt here is undeniable gold, in color and in price. Early last month, I found it for five bucks and went back for three other colors. Lightweight with a banded waist, they're the perfect layering skirt for shirts that are too short to be dresses and dresses that are too short to be shirts. Oh, and for kid's size dresses, which this happens to be.

This skirt isn't online, Old Navy has 30 percent off everything in the store all weekend, so go -- and scavenge around a little bit.

dress, Gap Kids. skirt and necklace, Old Navy. sandals, Coach.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Although I did end up wearing stripes again yesterday like a wannabe Francophile, the only place I wanted to be today was at my parent's house, with my family, for a Father's Day barbecue. Because I couldn't be there, I opted for a pattern that brought me a little closer to home—madras.

My mom and I share an affinity for madras, and there's nothing like a little patchwork plaid to brighten my day... although my family's "miss you" text messages are hard to beat, too.

vneck t, Gap. madras mini, J. Crew. sandals, Cynthia Vincent for Target. necklace, Old Navy.

Campaign of the Day

Alexander McQueen Spring / Summer 2010 Eyewear.

Life in France

In case you couldn't tell from my roadtrip daydreams, I have had a serious case of wanderlust lately. It isn't that I want a vacation, exactly. I don't want to relax, I want to pack my bags and explore a place I've never visited before.

The first place on my imaginary itinerary would be France, as evidenced by my recent fascination with stripes. I've never been to Europe and I would love nothing more than to go wander around aimlessly wearing a striped boatneck dress, perfect ballerina flats, and a suitcase filled with scarves (the only accessory necessary in France, at least in my eyes).

Seriously, I've woken up the past five days and reached straight for stripes. They make me feel like one of the cool Parisian girls who pop up on Garance Dore, even if my daily plans are not quite so glamorous.

Only time will tell how long this phase will last, but who knows? Maybe I'll continue wearing stripes until my travel bug subsides.

striped T, Rodarte for Target. chambray skirt, J. Crew. belt, Old Navy. sandals, Cynthia Vincent for Target. pink polish, Essie "Mod Squad."

Ellus Shoes S/S 2011

Urban Outfitter's Epic Roadtrip

I can't stop reading about the cross-country adventures of best friends/cool girls Cassie Coane and Clara Balzary on Urban Outfitter's blog. I have an extremely romantic view of road trips, despite my relentless carsickness and fear of driving, and few things sound better than jumping in the car and seeing where the wheel takes me.
The girls are going from Los Angeles to New York, with fantastic stops along the way. So far, they've stopped in the Grand Canyon; Marfa, Texas; and New Orleans, all places I've always wanted to visit.If you haven't read Urban Outfitter's blog, you're really missing out. I don't know who's behind their computer, but the writer has a quirky personality and the kind of taste in pop culture you would expect from someone who works at a store like UO. From point-of-view of an addicted shopper and computer geek, I think the importance of social media for retail brands should not be underestimated.

Read more about my thoughts on the relationship between social media and the retail industry on Ypulse!

Team Alexa Chung

Alexa Chung is the quintessential cool girl. Her legs span the length of my body, her boyfriend is a British rocker, and her latest gig is designing for Madewell.

I've wanted to be an VJ since I bought my first Hanson cd, but when Alexa was named an MTV personality last year, she redefined her fame and the 30-something brand. The show didn't last, but Alexa's cool did.

MTV just announced a search for the first ever TJ -- short for twitter jockey, of course -- and I can't help but think that out of scores of qualified hopefuls, they should award the spot to Alexa. No one knows music and fashion quite like Alexa, but these shoes (made Madewell, naturally) would help any hopeful do her best impression.

Don't miss my article about MTV's TJ search on Ypulse today.

A T-Shirt Kind of Day

I have never been a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl. Even in elementary school I preferred dresses. But t-shirt dresses are something I wholeheartedly support, especially on those mornings when making a cup of coffee (Who am I kidding? A pot of coffee.) seems exhausting.

Clearly I had two of those mornings... two days in a row. This weekend, my trusty striped T-shirt dresses saved me both Saturday and Sunday (and so did those pots of coffee).

Top outfit: gray striped dress, Old Navy. denim jacket, Gap. sandals, Cynthia Vincent for Target. coffee, Target s'mores flavor. Bottom outfit: navy striped dress and pendant necklace, Old Navy. sandals and coffee, same.

Feathers

Time Management

I'm still trying to get a handle on the work-life balance of having a 40-hour job. The time management skills I learned in college seem even more valuable now:

1. Drink a lot of coffee. Often.
2. Sleep is not important.

That pretty much sums it up. After working an 8-hour day, I get home, go for a run, fix dinner, and then it's almost time to fall asleep. Luckily I've had happy thoughts swirling around in my mind before bedtime, the main thing being what will I wear tomorrow?

Top outfit: navy T and silver flats, Old Navy. skirt, Gap. Middle outfit: sweater, Gap. shorts, J. Crew. sandals, Cynthia Vincent for Target. Bottom outfit: blue T, Gap. chambray skirt, Old Navy. belt, Mayle. sandals, Bernardo.

Florals & Stripes

I'm a week into the job, and my favorite part is far and away having a real reason to dress up every morning. It's the simple things in life. As much as I love my cutoffs, pulling on a dress every day is just so nice.

Going from the two-class-a-day life of a college student to a 40-hour-work week of a working girl is going to take some adjusting, but wearing florals and stripes to work sure will make it easier.
dress and cardigan, Gap. belt, Old Navy. sandals, Coach.

Pool Time

I never wear nightgowns to bed, but that doesn't stop me from buying them. Instead of saving them for sleep, I wear them during the day. Under cardigans, over camisoles, or cinched with belts, nightgowns are some of my favorite daytime dresses (as evidenced here).

Another new favorite? This tiered chambray piece, which is actually a twelve dollar purchase from a swimwear department. It's just way too cute to stuff in a pool bag (although a day in the sun sounds pretty dreamy right now).

dress, Gap. cardigan and belt, Old Navy. sandals, Coach.

Working Girl

I have a favorite store in my college town, and for the past four years, I've stopped in often. Often enough that the manager started recognizing me. Last month she mentioned a job opening and asked if I would be interested in applying. Because anything that involves getting paid for looking at clothes all day is pretty much the job of my dreams, I, of course, sent in my resume.

Long story short, this week I started a full-time job in retail (where I'll have a chance to dip my Pierre Hardy x Gap wedges in visual merchandising, a little bit like one of my favorite bloggers Ascot Friday). I love writing and I definitely plan to continue, but I love that this position will open up opportunities for other careers in fashion.

This doesn't mean I'll stay in Missouri, but it does mean that I'll have some additional experience (and extra money in savings!) when I move to a city where the cost of living is double what it is closer to home.

Besides, if being the next Amy Astley doesn't work out, being the next Jenna Lyons sounds pretty fantastic.