LIFE | So Funny Story

Not sure how many of you follow me on instagram (@thetomgirl) but if you do, you might have caught my blunder from this weekend. I said I was heading to Boca for a wedding. Drove 3.5 hrs the night before and checked into my hotel. 15 min in I started plan my itinerary for the next day and my route from my hotel to the ceremony. The ceremony...was in Bradenton. 4 hrs away. I morphed into 4 yr old laughing and crying at the same time while doing one of those tantrum dances. I couldnt believe I made such an awful mistake! In five minutes I had my stay cancelled, a hotel booked, and my stuff back in the car. The wedding was beautiful, but I was exhausted! So yeah thats my funny story.

$30 sweater I got a Target for 70% off at $8! And it
matched an old purchased skirt of mine from Banana Republic.

LIFE | New Years Goals

As my valuable stash of German sweeties dwindles to nothing, I am reminded that not only do I need to get myself back into my tip top shape--which is the easiest part of my resolution this year--but I also need to step out of my comfort zone a little more this year. Now that I am officially done with school (hoo-RUH), I want to take on some personal projects that are a bit daunting as I think about it. I want to put on a local fashion show this year (O_o), I want to create a travel lookbook for my sister and my business NOMAAD (by the way, if you want to read up on my trip to Germany aside from fashion oriented things click on the link and I'll be posting pics and commentary for the next week or so--follow the blog if you like!), and I want to try to get a book published that I have been working on since I was 12.

That all being said, let me share with you some of the items I purchased in Germany for the wedding I had to attend and the NYE party. The black dress I found at Zara in Bremen and the gold and black (which is trending in Europe currently) I got at Primark in Bremen as well.

The black dress comes just to the knee, is made of a stretch cotton material, with velvet sleeves, which kept me warm during the ceremony which was on the lake. The black and gold dress came to my thigh, and I was attracted by the zippers added to give the dress a nice shape in the front.

ATTIRE | Dressing for Formal Weddings

This is not a how to post. Its a "how do I" post. Formal engagements to me involved proms and banquets with ballroom style gowns of tulle and silk. I never wore those dresses again accept for maybe one which was to another banquet (Princess Kate isn't the only Princess of Second Wears). But for a formal wedding...what's the protocol for that? I asked my friend, who is the one getting married how "formal" the wedding was supposed to be and he said "Well I guess its pretty formal. I will be wearing a VERA WANG (emphasis by me, not him) tux."

Oh. So its THAT formal. The venue itself is quite grand as it was the former mansion of Osama bin Laden's brother that lived in Winter Garden. Yep. So how do I dress for such a regal location and event, without looking like I am trying to show up the bride? I know that I want to do a long dress because I always go to these events in a shorter dress and its going to be in December, by a lake, in 50 degree Florida weather. Yes. Florida does get cold and when you are by water, its even colder. So we are talking an out just shy of a red carpet event.

My muse. Emma Watson. That boyish looking pixie has so much feminine charm in her baby finger than I have in my entire body. Disgusting, but I love her grace and her impeccable style. Anyway, I would like to edge it up a little bit in the makeup depot, but keep it classy in the wardrobe. Any suggestions as far as where to find a dress that I could wear again in a dressed down manner?

WEDDING | H&P

Sunday, I attended my college friend's wedding. Our kindred spirit-ness started the day we found we had a mutual admiration for all things Anne Shirley and Jane Austen. She is appropriately named Anne for red hair, and I am Diana only because that is my name mixed around. Anyway, the theme of her wedding was Count of Monte Cristo meets Pride and Prejudice. When I arrived there was a Blue Angel air show happening, with no parking available. This detour a lot of guests from being able to come because the traffic was backed up as the show ended. I am so glad I got there three hours early!

The venue was a Spanish style beach hotel and she got married in the courtyard overlooking the sand dunes. It was extremely breezy so I am so glad I brought my winter peacoat and warm fuzzy slippers for the reception afterwards. It was a reunion for me as well, because she and I were a part of a Christian Frat Chi Alpha so a few people I knew were there and we all reconnected after almost eight years of not seeing each other!