Links to Love: January 27th

Links to Love:

In a quick bit of Shameless Self Promotion: I’ve launched a sister site to Dramatis Personae, Ash in Fashion!  I like to think of the sites as two sides to the same girl– the thoughtful, questionable side and the side that goes OOH SHINY! So hop over to Ash in Fashion to find the things I’m coveting, thoughts on beauty products, and steals and deals around the web!

30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself: I’d love to print this list out and hang it where I can see it always. There are so many of these that I could work on in my life, like #3, #4, #6, #8, #9, #10-12, #14 and so on… and I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we all have a lot of things to work on. So why not start today?

The Fashion Confessional is Open at Already Pretty. My list would probably go something like, I don’t understand how to put on lipstick without looking like a clown 3 hours later. I’ll also never have ladylike nails.  I wear the same socks a week in a row, and I always re-wear my clothes before washing them (except panties & gym shirts).  My hair is so light, I ALWAYS forget to shave my legs. I just can’t see it, so I can go for months without doing it.  How about you?

Glitter Nail Polish Removal Made Simple at Pink Sith. I always love glitter polish and HATE removing it– so this could be a perfect solution.

No Signposts in the Sea: The Long Post on Shopping in 2011. I never tire of reading people observations on their shopping habits, and how it relates to their feelings on consumption, money, and more.  What if you realized you were  a bad shopper? And had purchased 90 items, costing over $2500, and could easily say, “These pieces weren’t worth it?”   You should read her following up, The Shopping Plan for 2012 and Five Shopping Rules.

5 {More} Ways to Immerse Yourself in Culture at The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower. And the original, 5 Ways to Immerse Yourself in Culture.  Both posts have such simple suggestions, but how many of us ACTUALLY take the time out to do those things regularly?

Also from Already Pretty (because this post? I’m TOTALLY going through this right now): Dressing the Body in Flux.  While I may also share my own tips soon, my biggest suggestion: buying elastic!  Shirt with an elastic gathering through the waist or ruching in back.  Skirts with elastic waists.  It may not be hip, it may not be sexy (these are both lies, 75% of ASOS skirts are elastic waist and they’re always hot), but by god–when you drop 20 pounds, your skirt still fits.

 Dear Customer Who Stuck Up for His Little Brother: The world needs more big brothers like this, and more strangers to say kind things.

Tasty Treats & Eats:

Food and cooking at home has become such a big, fun, and exciting part of our life that I wanted to share the food that excite me each month…

Thai Chicken Pizza on Naan — can’t WAIT to try these out, even if I may go the pineapple & green onions route she suggests above.

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup.  On an ambitious evening, the Beau & I made three batches of soup– this being one of them. Be careful not to add in a whole 1-2 TABLESPOONS of chipotle peppers (the recipe says TEASPOON). Ours is super smoky and hot, but delicious. We add in Greek yogurt to cut the heat.

Food for winter weather: it’s not cold in New Orleans, but golly! I’ll eat like it is.  (Other recipes we loved this month: Black Bean and Roasted Salsa Soup, Chicken Chili Verde, and Lentil and Sausage Stew.

Style Inspired:

This is a little roundup of the daily outfit posts that peek my curiosity and inspire me sartorially…

Girl Next Door Fashion: Fur & Lace  There’s something about the soft colors and the mixture of textures paired against a deep wine that really just thrills me in this outfit.

Love, Maegan: When It’s Love It’ll Last Forever.  This outfit has so much that I love–the 80s influence, the colored skinny jean against bold, plaid blazer, and the huge chunky accessories

Already Pretty:  Daily Outfit 11/22/11. Grown up 70s prep school? Why don’t mind if I do. I fancy that Sally would be English riding all afternoon before flirting with the prep school stable boys in the evening.

The Coveted: Casual That’s Not So Casual.  That jacket!!! MY GOD, THAT JACKET!!!