When Things Fall Apart

Pretty please with a cherry on top excuse my lack of posting this past month... life has been getting in the way of things a little more than I would like recently. As some of you who follow me on social media may know, my horse Cruiser has been having some serious stomach issues that might be linked to an intestinal cancer. This news hit me right in the middle of my sorority's recruitment week, which is obviously stressful enough as it is. During this time, everything went out the door for me. My hope and faith basically went out the door. We went to visit Cruiser he has lost a lot of weight, but seemed to be happy that we came to visit him. Bringing an apple for him seemed to help- he brightened up immediately after we gave it to him. I was glad that he seemed to be feeling better when we left, but it was very tough because I am treating each time I see him as if it is my last. I have big dreams for my equestrian life- and even though I have outgrown Cruiser and was riding other horses at the barn, the comfort and stability of having my own horse would be gone.

When it comes to things like this, a lot of people don't really understand. Unless they have had a special animal in their lives that they have lost, it is usually pretty hard to. People may question why someone is so sad because of "just an animal" but they are wrong to think this. Animals are such special creatures in our lives and have little personalities just like we do, loving us unconditionally and always being there for us. 

The past few weeks have definitely been rough. However, I don't want to make this post all sad. When things fall apart, new things come together, sometimes exactly when you least expect it. On Labor Day, I came back to school from visiting home to participate in preference round for my sorority. Out of all the things I probably wanted to, giving a speech and then talking to girls who I didn't even know was at the bottom of my list. I felt emotionally and physically drained, and I had no idea if the second I would open my mouth, I would burst into tears. I shouldn't have thought that the worst would happen though, because the day ended up going great. I felt confident reading my speech (twice!) and met two amazing girls, Taylor and Jodie (hi) who ended up going Phi Sigma Sigma. Talking to Taylor made me feel a lot better, she had just lost a family member as well and we were both talking about our trials throughout life. Even though Cruiser isn't gone, it was still nice to have someone to relate to. I am so happy that they joined this chapter and if I had let my sadness get to me and ended up staying home, who knows what would have happened. 

Taylor and I 

I had such strong support from my sisters, family, and boyfriend. When the barn came down to Peoria last weekend for a horse show, he tagged along with me and we had a great time. I was still sad, but I am so lucky to have someone who will always be there for me by my side no matter how I am feeling. 

Fashion has been a lifesaver for me these past few weeks. Taking the time to make up a creative outfit and wear it to class distracts my mind and makes me feel confident. Plus, it's that wonderfully awkward time between summer and fall, when the leaves are starting to change and pumpkin spice everything is running rampant, but it is still hot out and summer clothes need to be worn before it gets too cold. I recently downloaded the WhatRUWearing app, which is an interactive fashion app for your phone that lets you upload photos of your clothes, OOTDs, and selfies. You can share these photos on the app and showcase them to other users. It is ADDICTING! If any of you have an account on WRUW, you can follow me and see my outfits @xograceelle with my pictures being uploaded in the Illinois location. I will definitely be using this app more to keep track of my daily outfits!

I am also currently obsessed with with We Heart It, a website and app that is similar to Pinterest. I think We Heart It is a little more cutesy, and I love all of the colorful, inspirational photos that there are and putting them into little collection albums. Check it out and let me know what you think! You can find my profile at http://weheartit.com/xxgracieoh :) 

I should be doing homework...

Thank you to everyone who has been there for me the past few weeks, it means so much to me and I am very grateful :)

                                                                     XO, 

                                                        

                                                                  Grace Elle 

Country Chic

Hey everyone! Even though my internship with CollegeFashionista is over, I still want to show you all the cute and fun outfits that my friends and I wear on campus. I am one of those people (despite how confused it makes my friends) who likes to dress up for class. I can look like a complete bum at any other time in the day, whether out shopping, getting groceries, or lounging around at home, but the second I have class, I put everything into my outfit. I feel more confident in class when I put more thought into my outfit and this confidence helps me participate more in class and feel better. I've read this a few times...they say that if you show up to class dressed up, you are more likely to perform better during a test than if you showed up in sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Dressing in comfy clothes is nice and sometimes so necessary during finals week, but it also gives you the impression of a more casual environment and you are more likely to take things less seriously.

I love this look! The dress is light, flowy and sips on easily. It helps even out any figure and has adorable cutouts in the back. I especially love the cute pattern which makes me feel like I'm walking through a field of flowers even though I'm just walking to class. 

Dress: American Eagle Outfitters 

A watch adds some seriousness to the look as well as major style points.

Watch: Francesca's 

Cute boots add a little bit more edge to an otherwise girly look. They are also so comfortable and easy to walk in!

Boots: From DSW, made by Rock & Candy 

For some finishing touches, I wore my glasses and created a mini braid in my hair to tie the look together and stand out from the crowd even further. 

This is a very versatile outfit that can take you from class to dinner with friends! You can also carry this summery look well into the beginning of fall by wearing a cardigan over the dress when the weather gets chilly. With a look like this, the quad will feel like your runway and you will forget that you are even in class! Well wait, maybe not...

                                                         XO, 

                                                          Grace Elle  

College Fashionista 2015 Internship at a Glance

I can't believe that my time as a Summer Style Guru Intern for CollegeFashionista is finished! I applied for the internship because I thought it would be a fun way to practice my writing and experience the pressure of a weekly deadline like HerCampus did. In fact, a lot of the girls in my chapter of HerCampus actually wrote for CollegeFashionista as well. One of my friends, the mega stylish Liz Zee (shout out to you babe!) used me for one of her shoots and encouraged me to apply. I used her for my application shoot, wrote my sample article and turned it in. I was super excited to have an opportunity to do some fashion writing! I was so excited when I found out I had gotten accepted.

CollegeFashionista helped me appreciate a good outfit even more and what it can do for your self-esteem. Even though I am required to wear letters until next weekend, I have constantly been trying to find ways to look dressy and fun. I have CollegeFashionista to thank for that.

Here are some of my favorite outfits that I reported on in my time as a Style Guru, hopefully you can all take away a piece of inspiration from some of these outfits!

I loved starting out the summer season in this outfit! A simple light blue dress, a statement necklace, and brown or nude wedges are all you need to feel on trend and comfortable!

Take a cue from Natalie and rock a light, flowy sundress before it starts getting cold!

This outfit is perfect for a transition into fall. Cute "coffee shop casual" weekend wear for just lounging around or doing homework!

Sam rocks an adorable and comfortable cardigan with a floral top and adorable boots! Perfect for Fall!

I loved wearing this dress :)

I love this look- a plaid shirt and vans add some edge to a girly lace dress

I love the pattern in this floral kimono!

Have a Sorority event? A simple black dress and gold statement necklace add polish.

Do I have a stylish boyfriend, or do I have a stylish boyfriend...

A french braid is perfect for a long day of class or work!

...And the new Baby Lips Gloss is perfect for any occasion. 

Having a watch will add a style upgrade to any outfit!

Colorful floral patterns instantly summer-fy your look!

Cute lace up booties make the world go round!

Fashionista Erica looks adorable for a date!

I had so much fun photographing and writing about these trends! If you want to take a look at these outfits in more detail, click the "CollegeFashionista" tab above or use this link: 

http://www.collegefashionista.com/author/grace_obrien/ 

If you would like to become a Style Guru for CollegeFashionista, use this link: 

http://www.collegefashionista.com/apply/

I would like to thank Sarah Darrow, Amy Levin and Sammy Walsh for this incredible internship opportunity and the awesome feedback! And a very special shout out to all of my fabulous Fashionistas/os that let me photograph them! <3 Cheers!

                                                                    XO,

                                                                        Grace Elle 

I'm Back!

Hello everyone!

I didn't expect to take such a big hiatus from blogging, it kind of just happened. I came back down to school on the 9th and have been busy beyond belief. Between moving into my sorority house, to work week preparing for recruitment, to the first week of classes with loads of homework already, I have been running around with no free time to spare. BUT that ends now! I've missed blogging and cannot wait to update you all on what I have been up to!

Me when I first got to the house! So excited to start my senior year!

My first day of school outfit- we are required to wear letters to class up until recruitment starts, which is right around Labor Day weekend. I've been trying to find little things to dress up a basic tank with stitched letters even more, such as lace shorts, sparkly sandals, a watch and an eye-catching statement necklace!

And of course I had to find time to go downtown amid all the school and recruitment chaos!

Going out outfit...all about bright colors and high wedges for my first trip to the bars!

Recruitment practice, recruitment practice... So. Much. Singing.

Had to use an excuse to wear my favorite lace up booties out! 

My roommates, Jesse (left) and Abbey (right)!

School wise, things have been good so far. I love the creative writing class I am taking for my minor. My professor is truly inspiriting me to write more, which sounds cheesey but it's true! Writing can be so hard to stick with, but I can't get give up because I love it so much. Besides my writing class, I am taking a bunch of PR classes which means I will definitely have my work cut out for me this semester. My current goal for the school year is to do as best as I can while also taking more time for myself. This was something I struggled with last semester: I felt like I couldn't truly relax until I had every single thing done. Not this semester! I am excited for the fresh start with some new friends while maintaining my relationships with old ones!

Fashion wise I am trying to dress up my letters as much as I can. I have been wearing the new Baby Lips Gloss and yummy smelling lotion so I feel confident throughout the day. My style philosophy is comfortable yet trendy, so I like to put effort into my outfits each day so I feel my best while in class. My internship as a Style Guru for CollegeFashionista is now over, but I cannot wait to report the trends I see on campus and share them with you on here! It will be a fun semester, and I promise to write whenever I can. 

For those of you who are just starting school as well, best of luck. This will be a great year :)

                                                                 XO, 

                                                                        Grace Elle 

Guest Contributor: The boyfriend! Gasp!

Hi there everybody!

This is Anthony aka Grace's boyfriend. She asked me if I could do an article for her blog and I said that I would love to but I just didn't know what I wanted to write about. Grace did an article on CollegeFashionista where she used me for a post about internships so I decided that I would stick with writing about dress clothes and what not for guys. 

Coming up in September, Grace and I will be attending my mom's wedding, which we are both excited about, but because of this I had to go an get a new suit. The first place I thought of to go get a new one was Men's Wearhouse. They have a huge selection of suits in all different colors, styles, and fits. Once we were there and browsing through everything (which there is a ton) one of the sales reps came up to us and really helped out. First thing he did was ask what we were looking for: the color, style and the occasion. Then he measured me out to make sure that everything he pulled from the rack was going to be the best fit for me.

I knew going into it that I wanted a black three piece suit (jacket, pants, and vest). If you can pull off a three piece suit I highly recommend it, they help you stand out and also because you have a best you can just wear the pants and best with a dress shirt or just the jacket and pants. The first suit I tried on (and ended up buying) was the perfect one, it was a slim fit suit that was designed for a younger crowd to be wearing. Once we had the suit picked out, they then brought me over to their in house tailor who took all of my measurements and made the alterations that I wanted done. The suit in total with all of the alterations ended up being around $800 but they were having a deal so my brother got his suit for free. Two weeks later my suit was done from them tailoring it and was ready to be picked up. 

I tried it on and it was perfect. I highly recommend that when spending this much money on dress clothes, suits or anything. You can get it tailored so it fits you and looks the best as possible on you. From now on my first stop will always be at Men's Wearhouse because of the way they conduct their business which was to make sure that everything fit properly and educate their customers on different products. The sales rep who helped me, Jeff, was awesome and because of him I will definitely be making a return to the Bloomingdale location. 

By the way I wrote this while I was on the train at 6:30 heading to work.

-Anthony

The OOTDs of Summer

Summer vacation is winding down for me...in exactly one week I will be on my way back to school! So crazy! But just because school is starting for some of us, that doesn't mean that the summer season is officially over. I for one know that I will be trying to get to a pool as often as I can on the weekends/after work week leading up until Labor Day. And summer doesn't "officially" end until Wednesday, September 23. So, here are three cute outfits that are perfect to wear for the rest of the summer. Hopefully they will give you some fun inspiration :)

Outfit #1 

Dress: Apricot Lane Boutique

http://www.apricotlaneboutique.com/store/normal/?ac=normal

Wedges: T.J. Maxx 

http://tjmaxx.tjx.com/store/index.jsp

Occasion: Dressy or casual. Perfect for a dinner date with the BF or with friends. I actually wore this outfit for my 21st birthday dinner! 

Outfit #2

Top: Forever 21

http://www.forever21.com/

Shorts: The Bay Boutique

http://www.thebayboutique.com/ 

(Review to come for this boutique, SO cute!)

Wedges: T.J. Maxx

http://tjmaxx.tjx.com/store/index.jsp

Watch: Francesca's 

https://www.francescas.com/

Occasion: I would say this outfit is on the "dressier" end of the casual scale. It is a perfect outfit to do some summer school work or blogging at Starbucks or perfect for a lunch date or movie night with friends!

Outfit #3

Dress: Dry Goods

http://www.drygoodsusa.com/

Booties: Mojo Moxy 

http://www.mojomoxy.com/product-category/mojo-moxy/booties/

Occasion: Dressy. Perfect for dinner with the family/BF or for a summer party!

Happy trendsetting :)

XO, 

 Grace Elle 

If you have anxiety, feel sad or out of control, read this.

Hi everybody! I hope you are all having a wonderful August 1st... I cannot believe that it is already August! Time/summer flies by so fast! I'm actually feeling kind of bad because I thought I would be blogging/having the urge to blog a lot more than I actually am. I thought to myself: "it's summer, I'll have plenty of time, I'll have so much to write about, blah blah blah". I do have plenty of things to write about. Every time a cute new boutique has opened up this summer I've ventured in with my mom and have taken cute photos and have reviews planned for up here. I have makeup waiting to be reviewed, exercise tips to share with you all as well as weekly updates... but for some reason, the thought of even taking the time to blog is stressing me out.

You see, throughout my life whenever something is thrown at me, whether it is a paper, homework or reading assignment at school, a new magazine or even a tube of lip gloss, I HAVE to get it done/HAVE to read it/HAVE to use it up right away. I always just feel so much better when something is done. I don't know if this is irrational or not. I have no idea if it is a way for me to have some control over things or not (most likely is). Every since my father passed away when I was a freshman in high school, having control over certain things is what keeps me calm. While I know that I'm announcing to basically the entire internet that yes, my father has passed away, but yes... I can talk about it and am actually very open about it when I feel that the time is right. When a circumstance happens in your life like that that is so beyond your control that you cannot possibly wrap your head around it, any situation in life that you can dictate or have some form of control over feels good. ORRR this could all just be my type A personality trait of needing to get things done.

Regardless, I have been a little anxious/worried lately about a lot of things in life. While I wish I could be this cool, calm, and collected person who has my life together all of the time, LOL because I'm not and won't ever be. Especially if I'm going to continue with this blog, I want to whoever is reading this to know (no matter big or small the amount of people) that I am NOT perfect. If any of you go on my Instagram and think that each and every one of those photos accurately represent how my life is currently going 100%, then all of you are sadly (or not) mistaken. Heck, even Instagram itself sometimes stresses me out.

Right now is a crazy time because my last year of college is quickly approaching. The thought of this is absolutely insane for me and for some of my friends. The routine of school is something that we have all been used to since such young ages, and the thought of that routine of class, friends, gym, sorority (structure, routine, structure, routine!) suddenly ending makes me full of anxiety. I have no idea what I'm going to do when I'm thrown out into the real world. I'm envious of my boyfriend and best friend from home, who both have basically guaranteed job offers from internships. They will find out if they will have a job for after graduation before even the first week of school. I am so beyond happy for them but I also wish I could have that type of certainty to put my mind at ease. However, there is a time and a place for everything, and I have to tell myself that I will find a job after graduation, just like them.

But because of this worry, I have been trying to work on my resume all summer and have even started some cover letters for potential companies I might want to work for. COVER LETTERS! I guess it might be a *good* thing that I'm starting this early, but at the same point, I need to tell myself to majorly chill.

I'm a little nervous about living in my sorority house. I am so excited to have the wonderful opportunity to live in during my last year of college, but at the same point, I had an apartment last year with a bedroom to myself, so I know the adjustment will be a little strange again. I know it will be worth it though to live with 48 of my sisters/best friends and that I have a once in a lifetime opportunity. All of my worries in regards to that are in the unknown, and even though it may be a little louder than having an apartment bedroom to myself, these girls will be there for me no matter what, as I always will for them. I am looking forward to many fun nights ahead.

To top off today's anxieties, I ordered my books a few months ago so I would just have them early for school, and the company that I ordered my books from sent me an email today saying my books were DUE in fourteen days! What?! Along with all of the other worries I have had, seeing that email was the straw that broke the camel's back. This was literally me:

Since I love Ashley I. from The Bachelor so much as well as her reactions, I'm going to list each thing that has been stressing me out with a funny Ashley I. face.

Stress #1:Thinking about post-grad job/life

Stress #2: MONEY!!

Stress #3: The fact that my professors have already been sending me emails about READING

Stress #4: Stress eating 

My point is, life can be filled with so many unknowns. It can get rough sometimes. But what I've learned and need to continue telling myself is that chances are if you are feeling this way, there is someone out there feeling exactly the same. There are always going to be stressors, but life is also full of so may wonderful things to look forward to. Having a strong network of people to lift you up is always important. That and Ashley I. Bachelor photos. 

And let's be real, it could be worse...

You could be discussing onions on national TV. 

XO, 

  Grace Elle

P.S. if any of you are feeling stressed or sad and need someone to talk to, I am always here! :)

Summer Fun/Updates

Hey everyone! Hope summer is treating all of you well!

For me, it is going by SO FAST! It is my last week of work(OMG) and then I'll be heading down to school August 4th for a staff retreat for my fall internship. I will be a social media intern for Up Late at State, which is a program at my school that hosts drug and alcohol free events for students. THEN I have to drive all the way back home and will be coming back down for my sorority's move in on August 9th. Whew. I'm glad I still have a few more weeks, because I'm going to be so busy.

 
               The name of this boat was "Timing is Everything". Something I'll have to keep in mind in                                                                    my busy and stressful days!

Speaking of busy: my upcoming fall semester will consist of two hour recruitment practices up until actual recruitment (Labor Day weekend), a two hour weekly staff meeting for my internship, two brand representative positions, and school work. Thinking ahead to all of these commitments makes me excited but also a little uneasy. I feel like I will have so much on my plate, and I am unfortunately one of those perfectionist types who needs to have everything in my life be well organized and smooth sailing (when of course, life never works out that way). Well, tonight on the phone Anthony, we talked about maybe dropping a few things so I will be a little less stressed when we get back to school. Coincidentally, I had just received an email from one of the companies I was a brand representative for saying how if anyone wanted to discontinue their time as brand rep, they can just reply to the email. I decided to do it, even though I felt a little sad. I'm the kind of person who loves to finish what I start and see things through until the end (even if it happens to be a super repetitive season of Dance Moms, ugh). However, I already have school and a  new internship to commit to. I also want to have time to relax, study, and enjoy my last year of school. I am a firm believer that
everything happens for a reason and that things fall in to place the way they are supposed to. Along with that, I believe that putting myself first is important and having downtime decreases my anxiety. So, along with emailing the first company, I emailed my manager from the second company and let her know the news. After both emails were sent, I felt so much better and felt as though I had a weight lifted off my shoulders. Thanks for the advice, Anthony.

Anyway, here are some pictures form my past few weeks! I have been busy with work, which explains the lack of posts, and I've enjoyed my days off where I've been able to be out in the sun! My mom and I were out on the boat from 11-4 today and I got FRIED! I am a Grace Lobster.

Enjoying some boat time out on the lake. I got soo sunburned! 

             

           Love this outfit from my favorite store, Dry Goods! Adorable summer OOTD.

Edie Boutique! They had adorable jewelry and scarves!

   I love the Midwest during the summer! 

I hope you all enjoyed the pictures! I have to go to bed because of work early in the morning. I'm so tired from being out in the sun all day! Expect to hear from me again soon. <3

                                                            XO, 

                                                                  Grace Elle