martin gore: "WTF."

i have no reason for this post. i just enjoy this picture. :)

with love,
rachel. <3

i'm only happy when it rains.

hey there!

i have been such a bad blogger lately! thursday i left for all-state band. i was still sick, and got awfully light headed in the auditioning room, but somehow i still made eighth chair! :) eighth chair white band is something i can definitely be happy about; it's the best i've ever done at all-state. the entire trip was just much fun; i loved being down in auburn again.
but anyways: outfit time! this one is my version of grunge.

grey sweater cardigan is from aerie, t-shirt underneath is my depeche mode: tour of the universe shirt, jeans are levi's, zipper booties are zigi soho.
this outfit is so comfy! it was rainy and dreary the day i wore this, & i just felt like being comfortable & not getting my pants-cuffs wet.

belt is from kohl's -- vera wang, i believe? pearl&chain necklace is vintage. silver bangle & white rhinestoned bangle were gifts. chain&rhinestone earrings are from belk's.

i'm still a bit sick, so i'm sorry if my post was sub-par. ^^" comment please!

with love,
rachel. <3

PROM 2010. :)

hey there!

sorry i've been slacking on my posting; prom was last weekend (the subject of this post!) & i've gotten tonsilitis since then. :( but anyway, i decided to post some prom pics. let me know what you think!

BEFORE:

redoing my toes purple, curling my hair (we diy our stuff. ;D), NO MAKEUP. shocker, i know.

AFTER:

this is my dad & i. we could never take any serious pics because he kept me in stitches!

my stepmom, i, and my dad. :)



my mother and i! :)

this is my bestest friend in the entire universe: anna michelle! we've been bffs/sisters since we were 3.

excited!

i didn't take many in-prom pics, but i took plenty pre-prom. this was my first, after all!

so, readers, give me your opinions! tell me about your first prom & the like.

with love,
rachel. <3

hippie-attack!

happy thursday!

my goodness, i'm exhausted! been working on prom decorations since 3:30 and i've got a whole day of it planned for tomorrow. so i'm just going to cut right to the outfit~

denim jacket is from kohl's; white shirt is from wal-mart; brown hippie skirt is from the local consignment shop ($1!); yellow sandals are from a boutique in valdosta; purple&white scarf is from pac sun.

all three bracelets were gifts. i found the wooden braided one abandoned at my dad's house in my jewelry box! so happy i found it.

wooden heart earrings are from claire's, i believe. jade heart necklace was a gift. beaded necklaces are all vintage.

also, this is the prom-hairstyle i'm considering for this saturday. what do you think?

with love,
rachel. <3

cream, floral, denim, leather.

hello!

ah, wednesday, you're such a nice day when you want to be. my hair appointment went lovely: my hairstylist's daughter and three of her granddaughters were there. the place stayed rather empty, which i liked, and the two little girls who were old enough to be curious were so cute! they kept me occupied during my 90 minute session. my hairstylist also curled my hair into a lovely prom style; however, i can totally see myself wearing my hair in this style, just a bit toned down. i'll post pics tomorrow.

also, my nike+ shoes came in! now i just need the ipod software to arrive. i was due for a new pair of tennis shoes; i've been jogging in chucks, for heaven's sake! i'll post pics of those beauties tomorrow as well.

but onto the outfit of the day:

cream cardi from alloy, floral camisole-blouse is from a boutique called city market in valdosta, jeans are levi's, boots are bare traps (from belk's).


pearl-cluster earrings were a gift. blue fabric-covered bead necklace is vintage (from my grandmother).

i found this purse at the kohl's in valdosta. hmm, where have i seen that fabric before? ;)

someone told me that this outfit is a bit "sweet" compared to my other outfits. i agree, but let me ask you: do you think so? and if so, is it a bad thing? i want honest opinions, please!

con amor,
rachel. <3

rachel's first blood drive! & stripes + dots.

happy tuesday!

today marked a special day in my life. what on earth could happen on a day such as a typical april tuesday?

today was the first day i donated blood.

all in all, it was a good experience. i was pretty frightened at first, but getting through it made me feel much stronger. some of the questions (to see if i could give or not) the nurse asked me, though, were kinda hilarious. "have you ever had sexual contact with a prostitute?" "have you ever had sexual contact with a man who had sex with another man after 1977?" "have you ever been given money for drugs or sex?" i understand why they ask those questions; i just thought it funny. also, who would fess up to that, anyway? (the first & last)

about an hour after i gave, however, i was sitting in class and started feeling light-headed, weak, and while everyone else said the classroom was freezing, i felt like it was 90 degrees. but my teacher was very understanding; my friend bought me a cold water and i took a short nap. i was still a little weak after that spell; i ended up taking an hour nap when i came home. but in the end, i'm very happy i did it & will do it again. i mean, saving three lives with a measly pint of my blood? who couldn't pass that up?

but enough of my rambling. outfit time! mixed magnificence.

blue&white striped shirt is ralph lauren, paint-splatter-dot dress is roxy, shoes are from target.

you can see the stripes of my shirt better here.
pearl cluster earrings & faux pearl bracelet & gold grecian bracelet were gifts.

so, readers, tell me. have you ever given blood before? if so, how was your experience? also, opnions on outfit are greatly appreciated!

with love,
rachel. <3

music!monday -- i'm still pretending i'm not a fool.

hey dears!

goodness, mondays always seem like the longest days of the week, huh? mine has been rather tiring; tons of homework, errands to run, etc. i walked 2.5 miles at the park today, though, so that felt rather lovely. but enough of my rambling: it's music!monday!

today's post will be focused on one of my favorite songs of all time. i don't think this song will ever lose meaning to me. what's this song, you ask? "kingdom" by dave gahan. (this is where the blog-title comes from.)

official music video! CLICK!

the above link is one i recommend DEFINITELY! the studio version is absolutely mystifying.



live-version. :) i know some of the harmonies get wonky, but it's still an excellent song.

and the lyrics:

can you feel me coming?
open the door it's only me.
i have that desperate feeling.
in trouble is where i'm going to be.

i know you hear me knocking,
so open the door and set me free.

if there's a kingdom beyond it all,
is there a god who loves us all?
do we believe in love at all?
i'm still pretending i'm not a fool.

so in your infinite wisdom
show me how this life should be.
all your love and glory
doesn't mean that much to me.

if there's a kingdom beyond it all,
is there a god who loves us all?
do we believe in love at all?
i'm still pretending i'm not a fool.

and on that note...

with love,
rachel. <3

strangelove: that's how my love goes. (thrift finds + depeche mode inspired outfit.)

hey loves!

so i went consignment-shopping with my quite fashionable friend, tabitha, about a week ago. i thought i'd share the fruits of our labor with you. (or at least, what i got. i know, so narcissistic.) she also got some amazing stuff from the consignment shop & one of her relatives -- true vintage stuff! but anyway, onto the pics~

denim shirt! i've already worn this once & it's so comfy. also, navy houndstooth-esque print dress. it fits a lot like a tennis dress, at least to me. $1! :)




cream & black brocade skirt! i'm so in love with this thing. the black print is velvet, too! the brown "hippie" skirt is actually a steal from tabitha, who didn't want it. score!

next: outfit! my inspiration for this outfit came from two of (my favorite band) depeche mode's members, circa middle-late 80's. (the title is a lyric from one of their 80's singles, actually.) how was i inspired? let me show you.

this is martin gore. in the mid-80's, he went through a semi-cross-dressing phase... a phase i love to draw inspiration from! while he no longer dresses in girl-clothes(xD), he still wears unique clothes & makeup for dm tours. i didn't find a picture with him in a skirt (though i have a few of him in a dress), but i found this one with his layered necklaces! also, check out that dangly earring.


oh, dave, i am sorry these pictures obscure your face! i'll make up for it. but anyway, dave makes denim look amazing -- he also didn't just wear denim jackets in the 80's, but also in the early 90's and even some in the 00's. his sunglasses in the late 80's & early 90's were also spectacular.

and, my outfit:


denim/sunglasses (dave) + necklaces/black skirt (martin)! i know, it pales in comparison to the real thing.
denim jacket &sunglasses are from kohl's, green shirt underneath & black ruffle skirt is from target. purple heels are from... goody's, maybe?



chain&rhinestone earrings are from belk's, cross pendant was a gift, chain&pearl necklace is vintage. also, flower ring (slightly evident in full-outfit pics) is from mark.

maybe i'm a bit too obsessed with dm... nah, not yet.
but anyway! what do you think?

with love,
rachel. <3