The 3 R's & NYE.

       the writing c/o

forget resolutions, these are the only R's i'm thinking about as the end of the year nears. shall we?

reflect | looking back, i've learned that misery loves me but i love it just as much, that everyone likes me better with braces including myself (see: press/features menu), that my life is basically jess' life from new girl (sans the three boy roommates unless you count how much time i spend at the hen house), that crying won't change things but accompanying it with a puppydog tail from isles bun & coffee makes it much sweeter, that i make for a horrible roommate (see: messy tendencies), that although for me - heaven is borrowed, i appreciate every moment in it. and sorry i had to get all sappy on you but, i've learned that i am truly blessed (see: my family/friends list).

release | i used to think that letting go was about losing something, but now i know that letting go is getting free.

relax | sorry, this section is going to be less about relaxing and more about celebrating, unless you consider them one in the same :) 

where i'll be: everywhere. but for sure i'll be gallivanting about in a fancy mask & a sequined dress at this soiree (see flier).

lastly, what to wear? i'm playing it safe this year and by safe, i mean wearing the standard nye uniform: a sequined dress. and though some of these outfit inspirations have sequins incorporated into them, they're in a much less conventional way, because you know how i like my ish "weird".

photos: collage vintage, whowhatwear

*CHEERS to a new year!

Merry Holidays!

photos by melinda guajardo

to you & yours!

xo,

davee + charles

Winterizing your Home.

collage by me via polyvore

When people talk about “winterizing the home”, the thought that usually comes to mind is covering your windows with saran wrap and blow-drying it. However, like a true diva, I’m saving that fun stuff for my dad. The type of winterizing I’m referring to is turning your space into something cozier and comfier by way of aesthetics and aromas. Here are some (budget-friendly) inspiration ideas to help prepare your home for winter + holidays:

Textiles | To warm up the living room, I added a sweater-blend throw on the sofa for the nights where all I want to do is curl up on the couch and have a Harry Potter marathon. I chose one in a charcoal grey to offset all the bright, summery colors in my living space. If you prefer cozy in the form of faux fur, I also like this one here and if you've got benjamins to throw down on some serious wool goodness, I love this one for the holidays. I also switched up the summery throw pillows on my couch for more seasonal ones (think gold tones and fur adorned pillows). 

Scents | Candles are an inexpensive and surefire (no pun intended) way to add ambience to any room. I purchased a bunch of white unscented candles from Ikea in assorted sizes and arranged them randomly in front of the french doors next to my bed. For scented candles, my new favorite this year is Illume's 'Woodfire'. I also really love their Balsam & Cedar one too, it makes up for the absence of a real balsam fir tree in the household. Another great thing about Illume candles is the cold throw, even if the candle goes out, the aroma lingers.

Ornamentation of the rustic kind | A couple Christmases ago, far away in "I have a lot of time on my hands land", I went on a DIY craze (not to mention, blew a fuse lighting this tree up). I spraypainted pine cones and branches and adorned them with glitter and ribbons and nearly gave myself arthritis making magazine Christmas trees among other projects. Luckily, I was able to salvage most of the pine cones which I sprinkled throughout the house for a rustic touch: on the Christmas tree, arranging them alongside flowers/branches in glass hurricanes for a centerpiece and on trays with candles. 

Lighting | Obsessed with these firefly lights from UO, they're significantly smaller than the typical string lights and strung along a copper wire that blends easily into anything. I'd use them to decorate branches and/or garland, or as shown in the collage above, placed inside a shadow box/lantern for a truly whimsical touch. 

Some holiday DIY's from my Christmas past + present c/o my instagram:

what i wore: i am mpls.

photos by erin pederson of wild wasteland & millcitymen 

raglan sweatshirt: american apparel | sequin skirt: nastygal | necklace: c/o lionette by noa sade | shoes: zara

on michael: mel's sweater :)

sarah's wedding dress: designed by the talented emma berg

if you attended i am mpls, then you would know that it started off as a variety/fashion show & ended in surprise matrimony for two of the most inspiring people i know, congrats sarah & jared! even though, it was tough harboring a secret this big for the last couple months & being a part of the reception "committee" often ended in lots of sweat, tears - not to mention an abundance of glitter (jk), i was honored to have been a part of it all. love you both!

and naturally, everything ends in an outfit post on here: lionette by noa sade sent over this one-of-a-kind glamorized bolo tie for me to wear the night of the event. i've been obsessed with it since, pairing it with every outfit i put on - dressed up or down. thank you, lionette - hands down, my new favorite accessory. you can view a close-up of it here.

I AM MPLS.

sorry for the lack of blogposts, i promise after this weekend, i will be returning with full force with (holiday-related) posts. for now though, i wanted to share an event that's dear to my heart & produced by one of the greatest women i know (sarah edwards): i am mpls. in its' fourth year, i am mpls returns tomorrow night & once again we'll be celebrating some of the things and people that make minneapolis one of the best places on earth (maybe that's an over exaggeration, either way it's pretty awesome). 

come join us tomorrow for comedic performances by jenn schaal & maggie faris while enjoying food provided by barbette and rocking out to hookers $ blow and bollywood. proceeds from this year's show will be going to i am kindness. i'll be directing the fashion segment that will include clothing from martinpatrick3, motto, LEN, cliche & b.resale. if you catch me sneaking out from behind stage, don't be shy - come & say hello! :) xo

oh deer.

photos are selfies

deer sweater: h&m (boy's section) | scarf: h&m | checked button up: gap | dress (worn as a skirt): rachel x rachel roy | boots: dvf | necklace: zara | bow ring: kate spade | initial coffee mug: anthropologie

'tis the season (to wear little boy holiday sweaters)! 

in between i am mpls, decorating the office for the holidays and planning for another very special event - i'm finding it hard to muster up the energy to decorate my own place. whenever the tree finally goes up, i'm super excited for you all to see the theme (i only picked it out last year as soon as the 2012 holidays concluded). 

in the meantime, i apologize in advance for all the holiday-related social media posts. i promise there is no one else that loves the holidays quite like i do & i fully expect you to unsubscribe to me on facebook, instagram, twitter - all the works. #obsessed.