Sometimes photos lie. I hope.

I am a firm believer in the show me don't tell me approach to believability. But I also run a blog where I tell people lots of things. Well this shirt DOES NOT PHOTOGRAPH WELL.

Remember about two years ago I said I was making a conscious effort to only buy things I love? No more sales, just because or likes. Only loves. This causes me to shop a lot less and sometimes not for months on end. I had gotten rid a bunch of my summer staples last year and hadn't really replaced any because I didn't love anything I was seeing in stores. I went into Forever 21 for the first time in months this weekend and ended up with a bunch of really great all cotton stuff. I got this one shirt in particular that just made me feel hot. I felt so cute I sashayed (sp?) out of the dressing room and Dave even agreed it was a total winner. It is nothing like anything I own. It is very loose fitted, off the shoulder and slouchy fit and all over navy blue animal print. And I felt great and awesome in it until this.

really bad

I think I can say with confidence I do not look like that in real life. I worked very hard for 4 years to maintain the exact same size. No, that is the shirt. OH MAN.

Let me show you.

lets fix that

I am no skinny minnie with a flat stomach but I am much smaller than that awful photo. see.

much better

Maybe I am saying it for myself, maybe I just wanted to show other ladies just because you don't look good in a photo doesn't mean you don't look good. It is just one angle, one second.Don't let one photo define you. I know I have fallen into that. Seen one bad photo and let it send me into an emotional spiral.

Because then you can just take another photo and actually like what you see.

7.18.11

I also got this ridiculous hoodie cape.

hoodie cape detail 7.18.11

Practical? no. Awesome? yes.

Hoodie, earrings and shirt Forever 21
Cami Forever 21 2009
Skirt Esprit 2002 (same one from Thursday)
Shoes Born 2010 free from TJMaxx
Necklaces Mark by Avon 2007
Bangles mix from H&M 2003 and Forever 21 2009

IMG_6454

Chopstick not sure....oh oh it came in a set of dishes but I have only ever used it in my hair.

For my hair I did the Lazy Girl Updo from Kasmira. My hair has really gotten too long for most good hair styles.

Right side of hair 7.18.11

I had a huge tail coming out of the top that didn't look very nice so I tucked it back in on itself and used lot of pins.

Left side hair 7.18.11

I have to say this is one of the easiest hairstyles. I highly recommend it for very hot days and humid days like we are having today. Looks more polished than a pony and it is much less frizz prone.

makeup 7.18.11

For makeup I did shimmery soft coppers and peaches with dark plum mascara and liner. Lips are just a shimmery peach.


This weekend was our first weekend home alone since we moved in. We finally had a chance to work on unpacking the rest of our stuff. We made really good progress but we still aren't done. I did a lot of organizing of somethings as I put them away. I also stopped up on books for the next week and for vacation.

Bought this yesterday at container store for belts. It works perfectly for necklaces. It's heavy though. OoofaI got this great doily from Becky two christmas ago and I just found the perfect use for it. I love having little spots of friends around the house.We have a week left before a week on the beach. I think it's just enough. Dave thinks I'm insane.

Nothing but beach reads!

Oh and we had a fantastic dinner last night that was so easy it seemed wrong.

Trader Joes Shredded BBQ chicken, frozen balsamic onions with gouda on a bun with parm potatoes.

IMG_6300

The onions and chicken were microwave! Dude. They weren't bad for you either. Not much there is. If you ate a 1/3rd of the chicken in the package it was 3 points. I had 1/6 (see above) I love Trader Joes. Living near one changed my life. Seriously. I can COOK. Microwave stuff that doesn't taste gross and isn't bad for you. That is my kind of cooking! (Dave is the cook in our house. This I can manage though!)

photo.JPG

The photo didn't turn out well but I made dessert too. I asked Dave what he wanted for dessert for his birthday since I hadn't made him anything yet. He wanted brownies with Andies candies in it. So I made those from a Trader Joes Mix and I made a small batch of Molasses ginger ice cream in the tiny maker. Half and Half, cream, sugar, vanilla, glob molasses and I chopped from dark chocolate ginger. Put in mixer for 12 minutes then pop in freezer to solidify more. I have to test some dairy free recipes because I had an instant headache after eating it. I knew it tasted too wonderful. Yup still allergic to dairy.

Comments

Cara said…
How is a hoodie cape not practical? I love the thought of it!

And knowing you can sashay in a top even if it doesn't photograph well may suck from a blog perspective, but fortunately, there aren't many times when you don't look great in your pictures, so I'll use my imagination!
Dave77459 said…
Your first sentence left me breathless with its power.

A weekend home alone after a series of guests is a rare pleasure.
hillary said…
No imagination necessary top photo = looks like I gained 80 lbs = bad

Below =good.

I never post the bad usually and there is a lot! Ha. You should see my private Flickr.
Jess said…
That hoodie/cape is AWESOME! And I love the animal print of the shirt. I cannot wait until we get our H&M here in Dallas. It is supposed to be done this fall I think.

PS You're making me want to make ice cream in my maker! I need to try out some yummy recipes. I'm not allergic to dairy but I've been tempted to try ice cream w/ coconut or almond milk because I've had both in ready-made ice cream and I really like them. Have you ever tried that?
hillary said…
jess it was from forever 21 not h&m but yes h&m is AWESOME!

I have made it with coconut milk and almond and rice but it makes ice milk instead of ice cream. consistancy isn't the same. I don't like it as much but my body every once in a while lets me sneak in dairy and the rest the time it tells me I am an asshole and to knock it off.
I agree that sometimes photos can be just plain wrong. If you feel fabulous in something you'll be projecting that and looking good too!
Lab geek said…
You know, I am always scared to go into forever 21 because well, I am not 21 and I don't fit in most of their stuff (I am not huge but I am not a size 4!). But That cape hoodie sweater... I have to have it!
I love the Tshirt too. I got a cropped shirt in F21 with a giant panda head on it. Not super figure flattering but oh so cute!
rlutz said…
The hoodie cape is awesome!! How do you do your makeup so well with your glasses. I am wearing my glasses today and I am having such trouble doing my makeup and since your always looks great I thought of you!
hillary said…
lab geek. I am neither a size 4 or 21 (add about 12 years):) . A lot of their stuff is sized for toddlers but things like the cape? Runs big!
Chelsea said…
great reminder about how photos do in fact lie about outfits! I've felt spectacular all day in an ensemble, only to be second guessing myself when it comes to the photos I take after work. I blame bad lighting or impatience or whatever... and remind myself that the feeling I had in the outfit made it fabulous. and maybe a different angle will show why...
Anonymous said…
HOODIE CAPE!! That is just so awesome!

I don't know what it is about hoodies in generally -- my brother tells me I have a problem and if we shop together he will make me "step away from the hoodie."
hillary said…
@rlutz thank you. What do you mean? How do I physically? I lean into the mirror really close and always put on more than if I wasn't wearing glasses. I always do more on the eyes too because they get lost behind glasses. For mascara put on how much you would normally then do two more coats.
Kasmira said…
I'm glad you're getting use out of the Lazy Girl updo! My hair is getting a bit to long to leave the ends out...boo! It's even lazier when you don't have to tuck the tail in!
hillary said…
Everytime I do it I plug you. It is such a great and easy updo!
Megan G said…
So very true! And mirrors lie as well. I always feel yuck when looking into my full length mirror, but great in photos or other reflective things.

Love your star earrings, cute!
Alana said…
Excellent post! So so SO true!

I think I need to get to F21 ASAP!