American Secrets.

"I'm still dancing alone

with the way it was."

-Parachute.

Tonight, I was seventeen again. 

Three years have passed since I'd last seen my favorite band. And surely, that shall not happen again. 

Now, I don't want to go on some sappy rant about how music is my life and this band changed me and blah blah blah. Long story short: their album, The Way It Was, pretty much defined my senior year and nothing compares to the lyrics I'm using for the post tonight.

Anything happy or sad or crazy I've gone through has all gone back into that one line. The song itself is the inspiration for blog URLS and Tumblr pages. Not because I think it's the greatest song ever written, by any means. Something about it just makes me feel alive. (Okay, a tad dramatic, but whatever.)

Who knew that three years ago, I was watching these guys slay in LA and now, I'm in Music City doing exactly what they do best. 

This is where I'm meant to be.

P.S. Will Anderson, you still owe me a date.

Bang Bang.

"She might've let you

hold her hand in school,

but I'mma show you

how to graduate."

-Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj.

This summer really defined the fact that I am in dire need of a winter wardrobe worthy of the London look. If I plan to look as rad as I feel in certain outfits, I need to maintain that slight bit of confidence as I fly across the pond.

And what better way to say hello to the British by welcoming the cold with turtlenecks and oversized coats?

I plan...no, I aspire...to be this platinum blonde while abroad, but mainly, I want to look cool with my California 'do. A cream-meets-chunky turtleneck plus the camel coat just defines the light I want to keep during my time away. Plus, who doesn't love a legit pair of Raybans as sunnies? The greatest.

Work.

"Walk a mile in these Louboutins.
But they don't wear these shoes where I'm from."

-Iggy Azalea.

I have developed a guilty pleasure. Maybe, I should phrase it more like a guilty dream job. And that, my friends, is to switch places with my girl, Iggy, for one day. By no means do I think she is the most amazing musician or that her style will change the world. But let me tell you, her songs are the catchiest tunes on the planet. Hence, my choice for Tune Tuesday.

Ever feeling down and out about how much stuff you have to deal with? Ever need a pump-me-up in order to shake off the stress? Ever want some inspiration to just do it? Welcome to Work.

And you know what? She's the realest.

Uprising.

"They will not force us.

They will stop degrading us.

They will not control us.

We will be victorious."

-Muse.

HIATUS AVERTED. HIATUS AVERTED.

Glad that's over (and yet, still slightly awkward).  Sorry for my absence on here, everyone. You know what? Sometimes, life just gets in the way and heck, I'm just going to live it fully and sometimes, that means going on the Internet is at an all time low. I ain't mad about it.

But now, it's a new month and a new semester and coming up on a new season. And boy, is there a lot in store for the next few weeks. 

To be honest, I'm quite nervous. I don't know where I'm going to end up when December rolls around. But I've come to a massive conclusion...

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

What does matter is happiness. Every day, I plan to just find a little bit of sunshine, even if it isn't the most obvious of things. Because things will be okay. School will be okay. Work will be okay. Life will be great.

And that's just fine with me.

Man! I Feel Like A Woman.

"The best thing about being a woman

is the prerogative to have a little fun."

-Shania Twain.

Today's Want Wednesday is coming from the heart. Specifically, something that has been weighing on my heart for a while among many others, I would assume.

Growing up, I was always on the smaller side. With all the sports I played and my tiny appetite, I seemed to be skinny forever. It wasn't unhealthy--just my progression of growing up with my stubborn personality. But like every girl, the awkward teenage years began. And that was when I stopped looking like my friends and my old self.

Although I tried not to make it obvious, I gained some weight and with those pounds, my body created normal curves in what I believed to be abnormal places. I went from a petite stick to an hourglass figure while the majority of my friends continued to be the itty bitty selves they always seemed to be.

This time just so happened to correspond with my dive into fashion. I never, ever wanted to dress like anyone else; colored skinny jeans and rainboots were unheard of until I decided to make my own style path. With my added interest, I begged to be subscribed to the likes of Seventeen Magazine and flipped through People whenever awards season came around.

Without notice, I strived to be those flawless girls in pictures while my body decided to be something different. Something I didn't want.

Throughout high school and even some times in college, I praised the ones with the protruding collarbones and ribcages while pulling at every piece of "fat" I fixated on while looking in mirrors. I never wanted to reach the extremities I knew models would resort to because I understood the health risks, but it didn't stop me from wishing my body would grow out of this "phase" I believed it to be in.

Now, after late night talks and deep realizations, I have found the light. The light that used to come with the simplicity of a young girl who just doesn't care. The light of seeing the best parts of me. The light of being comfortable in my own skin. 

Sure, I have my bad days like anyone else. Sometimes, I hate my thick thighs. Some days, I want to just cut off all of my hair. But I'm worth more than enough to be happy for what I have. Even on the days I think I look awful, people seem to still love me and my craziness. (Unless, they get annoyed. But that has nothing to do with looks.)

One of the many that has loved me through this beauty battle started out as a friend of a friend. Who knew gossiping about concerts and fashion over Sonic at 10PM in Nashville could lead to landing an amazing friend? 

Megan Phillips is a Wisconsin-raised, New York-loving, Nashville soul. She is all for over-caffeinated drinks and Michael Cera films. But in my life, she plays the part of a role model. She has taught and encouraged me to always be me. One-hundred and ten percent. Even when I'm laughing a little too loud or dancing out of rhythm.

When she announced she planned to create a line with one of her bests, I got right on that bandwagon. And I'm so glad I can call myself a Revivalist. In body, mind, and spirit.

Revivalist is just that: taking the pseudo-culture fashion has created and bring back the simplest of silhouettes and prettiest of patterns. Revivalists are empowered, strong, intelligent, free-willed, kind and beautiful. 

Please take a look at what Revivalist has to offer and become a part of the movement today. Fashion doesn't have to define how thin you think you should be or make you conform to the girls in magazines. It's to be you and completely you. No matter what the mirrors and critics may say.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1836037450/revivalist-fashion-and-beauty-reimagined?ref=discovery

Something Bad.

"Just like a real life Thelma and Louise."

-Miranda Lambert & Carrie Underwood.

She is the Serena to my Blair. She is the Wiig to my Rudolph. She is the Amy to my Tina.

And most importantly, she is the Carrie to my Miranda.

(P.S. I'm talking about the queens of country, not Sex and the City royalty. In that case, she's more of a Samantha and I'm a Carrie. Just for clarification.)

No matter how far apart we are from each other or how different our interests may be, no one makes me laugh harder than my best friend. Emily and I have been partners in crime since age 4. Even though she is technically 15 days older than me, she's the brawn and beauty while I'm blunt and brains.

We balance each other out and that is honestly one of the things I am most grateful for in our 16 years of friendship. She makes me want to be a bit more adventurous and makes me wish I was that kind of a soul. In return, I offer her my honest perspective and a thicker skin. As odd as it may sound, we are yin and yang yet two blondes who eat too much In-n-Out and joke about the inappropriate and rude things in life.

Here's to her. And our annual Palm Springs roadtrip. And the next 60+ years of love, laughter and life.

Rather Be.

"We're a thousand miles from comfort.

We have traveled land and sea."

-Clean Bandit.

New jam. New week. New Want Wednesday. And with that, I am looking toward a fellow blogger yet style guru. Blair Eadie runs across my Instagram and Twitter pages day after day and continues to make me cry for her couture. She just knows how to dress, plain and simple. Classy and elegant with a hint of cool. Can't beat that, can you now?

Black and babydoll dresses are some of the keys to my fashion heart. With some Valentino pointed flats and that high-up updo, she keeps New York cool during the humid summer months.