Week One

Week One of 20 for 80

....I need to find a better name for it, I KNOW. But my creativity seems to fail me after trying to put together a multitude of outfits with a limited number of clothing. If you're feeling particualrly creative, how about sending me a suggestion...yes? I'll even give you a prize if I like your name (a prize which will most likely come in the form of a virtual high five accompanied by a "shuuuh--weet, thanks!". But hey, a prize is a prize). Or keep your suggestions to yourself and silently mock me about my name choice. I don't blame you if that is more appealing.


Edit: Huzzah! I shall call this little project of mine "Suitcase Style." Looks like I will be the receiver of my own high-five and expression of thanks. Go me!

Belgium and Luxembourg

Germany and Poland

20 for 80?

Helloooooo dear readers (most of whom, I believe are random pinteresters. But, hey, you're here, and that's what counts, so I'm not complaining)!

Here's the deal: I've been hitchhiking around Europe since May 16th and have therefore been poorly neglecting my blog. As I've gotten into the swing of traveling, however, I've decided to start writing outfit posts again. You have to put clothes on every day either way, right? (If your answer is something different, then a fashion blog probably isn't the best website for you...then again, if it'll teach you to put on clothes, maybe it is.)

I like the challenge of living out of a backpack for a summer without looking like I am living out of a backpack (minus the horrid and unavoidable wrinkles). In a Kendi-esque fashion, I've decided to see how many outfits I can make out of a limited amount of clothing. I've packed the items below (20 articles of clothing in all, 2 belts, 2 pairs of shoes) and I'm aiming to wear a different outfit everyday between now and September 5th, roughly 80 outfits total. Now, I know 20 for 80 doesn't quite have the same ring to it as 30 for 30, but I hope you'll still find the idea just as admirable.

When I return to the States, I will blog about the places I've visited (17 countries in all!) with recommendations for things to do and see. For now though, I'm sticking with the much simpler and less time consuming task of taking photos of my outfits and posting the week's worth on Saturdays (Cassie will continue to post recipes on Fridays and a random post of her choice on Tuesdays).

Wish me luck!

Tops
(starting in the top left and going clockwise)
Forever 21, Old Navy, Lacoste, Thrifted, and Forever 21. I also packed a white button up Lacoste shirt which I forgot to photograph.

Bottoms
Forever 21, Loft, Thrifted, Forever 21, and Hot Topic

Jackets & Dresses
Thrifted, Abercombie, Cotton On
Leggings/Tights
Mostly Target. Thelacy tights are from dELiA*s.
For shoes I have a pair of black flats and a pair of black gladiator sandals.

Well Then Why Don't You Marry It?

Top: Forever 21
Skirt: Printemps
Shoes: Target
Purse: Hand-me-down
Earrings: Forever 21

I eyed this skirt for almost my entre semester in France, never actually thinking I would own it. Thanks to the three beautiful and generous friends of mine, I can now call this skirt mine.

Every time I would go grocery shopping last semester with these girls, we would walk through a department store called Printemps. And every time I would stop and admire this skirt. (I kind of have a thing for tulle. Particularly pale pink tulle. One of those “well, why don’t you marry it?” type of things.) The only problem with this skirt is it was way out of my price range. Really, being that I was a poor unemployed foreign exchange student, everything was out of my price range. But you can make an argument for buying food you don’t have any money for whereas the most marvelous skirt in the world it a different story (although, I’d say not that different).

Needless to say, you can imagine my reaction when I opened a birthday package from my three friends and found this skirt inside. One of them wrote in her note to me that she thought I might “crie de joie.” I did in fact crie de joie, which freaked out my sister who was sitting in the room right next to me. But, c’mon, just look at the gorgeousness that is this skirt. Can you really blame me?

(Fine. You know what maybe I would marry it if I could. So there. Now stop judging me.)

Vegan Mozzarella

I did it! I finally made vegan cheese. Meltable, delicious vegan cheese. The very cheese I’ve had all the ingredients for since the beginning of the semester but never got around to making. All I have to say right now is I’m so happy of myself! If you believe in yourself (and read the following post), you can learn how to make vegan cheese! And thumbs up for rock and roll!


I adapted my recipe from a recipe I found here.


Ingredients
1 package Extra Soft Silken Tofu
1 cup Vegan Heavy Cream
1/2 Tbspr Salt
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Rice Vinegar
6 tsp Agar Flakes
1/2 cup water

Blend until smooth the tofu, heavy cream, salt, garlic power, and vinegar (I used a magic bullet for this--it blends it a very creamy consistency). Transfer to a small sauce pan and stir in the agar flakes and water. Bring to a boil on medium, stirring frequently. Boil until the agar flakes are almost completely dissolved (about 20 minutes), adding water if necessary doesn't boil down too much. 

Pour into a large loaf pan and place in fridge until completely cooled.

There you have it. It does taste slightly tofu-y, but not over-poweringly so. It’s good vegan equivalent to mozzarella. It slices/shreds really well and melts pretty well too. When it’s melted it doesn’t have that stringiness that real cheese has, but it still taste delicious.

I ended up using my cheese on a pizza with sauteed onions, mushrooms, and spinach. I definitely recommend you do the same.

Graduation Sombrero

Last Saturday was my graduation from the University of Florida (can i get a "huzzah!" and "go Gators!"?). I just so happened to be graduating on Cinco de Mayo. I feel this was very appropriate, since Cinco de Mayo marks Mexico's victory over The French and graduating marks my victory over my French degree. Since these two dates alligned so perfectly, I decided to turn my graduation cap into a graduation sombrero. Viva Mexico y viva graduacion!

The Ingredients
32 mini pompoms in the color of your choice (I used my school colors--Go Gata!)
1 child's size sombrero
Yarn
Large needle
Small needle & thread
Scissors
Hot glue
Optional: black sharpie for a very necessary finger moustache


Oh yeah, and your graduation cap. Duh.


The Steps

Thread your yarn through a large needle. To facilitate this process, I taped the end of my yarn so it wouldn't fray as I was threading it (well, my mother did. I never would have thought to do that on my own and would have therefore never finished my hat out of frustration and defeat).

Thread your yarn through your pom-poms.

As you thread them, push them together along the yarn.

Once you have all your poms poms on the yarn, move thneedle and make a knot and the end. Push one pompom along the string until it reaches the knot. Then make another knot about 3-4 inches away from that one and repeat the process.

As you go along, cut the yarn at the base of the pompom, right below the knot, creating the creppy tadpole like things pictured above.

Now, knot the yarn you've attached your pompoms to onto another long strand of yarn.

Because you are no good at sewing and have two hours until you need to be at you graduation, have your mother sew the Strand of pom-poms onto your hat. Space them put so there is 8 on each side.

Next, cut off the brim of your sombrero and hot glue it to your cap. Make sure you only hot glue the back so that you can move your tassle from right to left.

Ay chico! That's it. All you need is a Mexican finger moustache, and you're all set.

The Borrower

Shirt: BCBG

Skirt: Forever 21

Shoes: Target

Belt: Cotton On

Earrings: Forever 21

Ring: Etsy

I only purchased two of the items I am wearing in this picture: my France ring and my belt (which, in all fairness, I wear more than any other of the items in this post).

The earrings were borrowed from Cassie; the dress (used as a shirt) is from Kaitlin (Huzzah for her letting me borrowing while she's in NZ for the year!); the skirt is a hand-me-down from my oldest sister; the shoes are a hand-me-down from a lady I used to babysit for; 
and I borrowed the wing-back chair from the dumpster outside Cassie's apartment (classy, I know).


I missed my calling in life and was supposed to be a borrower. Hey, I'm ginger-haired, short, and clearly gifted at amassing and using items that are not mine. Maybe you should go ahead and just call me Arrietty. 

Spinach and Mushroom White Sauce Pasta

Gotta be honest, I'm quite proud of my brilliance concering the creation of the recipe. I made it when having one of those experimental cooking moods where I don't use any sort of recipe but just throw things together. Usually, this dos not turn out well for me. I tend to be a little over excited and add too many ingredients. This though--this was wonderful. Both my vegans and non-vegan friends agreed that it was superb. My sister said it was the best white sauce pasta she ever tasted. Yeah, she's definitely right.

Spinach and Mushroom White Pasta

(Serves 8)

1 (16 oz) box of pasta

5 medium cloves of garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

6 oz. of spinach

8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced

2 cups vegan heavy cream

1.5 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup dry white wine (I used chardonnay)

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 tsp dried herbs (I used rosemary)

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and Pepper

Start off by boiling water for the pasta, so you can make your sauce while your pasta is cooking.

Heat up some olive oil in a deep skillet on medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cook for a minute or so. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes (you'll want to cook it until the oninons are transparent and the mushrooms have significantly reduced in size).

Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.

Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until heated all the way through and the sauce begins to thicken (around 5-7 minutes). Adjust spices to taste.

Pour the white sauce on top of your cooked pasta and mix thoroughly.

Beware of four-eyed velociraptors and their suspiciously smiley sidekicks who might try to steal your delicious creation. It's just one of the hazards that come with cooking such appetizing food. Sigh.

Bon Appétit!