Where Am I?

Where am I? 

I'm in my happy place. 

I  love this place. Once we got off the plane, I saw an Orthodox Jew and thought, "I'm home." When we stepped outside I looked around and sighed: "I love traffic and honking horns." My aunt and uncle picked us up and I couldn't get over my love for a good Jersey accent. I almost cried when she offered me raviolis (ITALIAN FOOD!). That next day I got my pizza fix (x3) and we started our vacation. 

Ahhhhh the east. Beach tomorrow. :)

Wear This, Not That

I think a lot of the time in our efforts to be fashionable we don't work up the courage to purchase stylish things until either everyone's already wearing them or they're from "last season." There's a couple of things that have been on my mind and would like to state my opinion about them. Now, before I rant about something you yourself have in your closet, just know that this is a fashion-rant, but I believe as long as someone feels good about themselves and that what they've put on their bodies represents their personality and personal style then that's great and should be encouraged to continue to do so. So maybe this is more of a push in the right direction for those who aren't sure about the following:
#1: Pink sweatsuits
Sweat attire is and never was fashionable. I know we all want to be comfortable, but why do it looking like Paris Hilton or Hannah Montana? No one believes that you just came from the gym in that bright pink, sparkling velvet material that says "PINK" or "PRINCESS" on the bum.
Try this instead:
Leggings with a long shirt. It's comfy, versatile, and if done right should prevent you from flagging down the next airplane. 

#2: Pointed faux-leather boots
These are very 2004. I see them a lot, and they remind me of something my middle school teacher or Hilary Clinton would wear. They're not suited for anyone in my opinion, but especially women with some youth. There are too many alternatives that are youthful and bring something to your outfit, not just add a dull finish. Try ankle boots or a simple pair of the perfect pumps. Aldo is my new favorite for the basics. 

Wear these black pumps from Aldo or these ankle boots from Macy's. 

#3: Uggs
They look like little gingerbread men. They have also been shown to destroy your feet. Plus, you're paying for cankles. Find a nice pair of flats or oxfords. 

#4: Cork-soled wedges
I wore these when I was 11. I know that fashion repeats itself, but when they're big, bold, and red polka-dotted, they're not for you. They especially don't go with long, frayed, or washed out jeans. Please stop wearing them.
Wear these Dolce Vita and Urban Outfitters wedges!:

A Little Warmth

This is what I wore yesterday. It was a warm day, no doubt, but I figured the church building would be ridiculously freezing so I threw on a blazer. It was definitely a smart choice--I've never been to a ward building in the world that wasn't frigid in summer and over-heated in the winter. 

He's so sexy. 


































blazer: urban outfitters. blouse: gap. skirt: kohls. brogue-inspired flats: aldo.
bangs: courtesy of Natalie Daniel. 


I LOVE blazers now. This is one of three that I got from Urban this season. What I love is that they are seriously all year pieces and they go with everything. But my all-time favorite right now are these flats I got from Aldo a couple months ago. I really wanted this pair of black leather brogues that were on sale online, but when I went to find them in store they were full price and I didn't want to pay shipping. But, I found these little cuties for $19.99 each and bought two pairs, one in black and one in bright blue. I LOVE them! They're super comfortable and I wear them all the time. 


Have a great week everyone! We can't wait to fly out and visit my family this Friday!

Our True Identity

I love Sundays. From the beginning, God blessed this day and hallowed it, making it a holy day. I know that whenever I wake up on a Sunday, the air feels different and I know this is a sacred day. Adam and I are back into our married ward during the 7-week break for school since the single ward doesn't meet. It was great to see our friends again and we always feel at home going back. 
I thought I'd share this message I came across from Elder Uchtdorf. I just love this man. He is a great example of how the gospel makes individuals more loving, giving, and humble individuals and that if we're not then we need to allow the good things we do daily to not makes us obedient, but to change us and convert us. 
It's called: Our True Identity, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

  

Beginning Summer

I think this is the longest I've gone without posting something. I mean seriously--I don't have time to post something? These last couple weeks of the semester have been pretty busy and eventful, to say the least. Tomorrow I have my last final, for my marriage class, so I'm kind of procrastinating. It was a really good class though. I would recommend it to anyone, or any marriage class for that matter. Whether you're not married yet, about to or just gotten married, or been married for 25 years, anyone can learn something new. I thought our marriage was perfect, but I realized that there are things I need to work on in order to truly love Adam. One of the things I especially liked learning about is called being a "dream detective." According to marriage-expert John Gottman, most perpetual problems in marriage, or those that are rarely ever resolved, are so difficult to resolve because they are based on something deeper, and those things are usually dreams or other underlying factors. I realized that when I tell Adam his desire to purchase a 2 ton letter press and keep it in a storage unit until we get a bigger place is ridiculous, I am forgetting to acknowledge his wishes, desires and dreams in life. Adam loves doing design on the computer, but especially enjoys fine art, where he creates something with his own hands. Adam knows that buying this ridiculously huge and expensive-to-maintain hunk of metal is not going to happen just yet for him, but he's trying to get me to recognize his desires and dreams and for me to accept and validate them. Anyway, so the joke whenever he asks me if he can do something and I say no is that I'm a "dream crusher." 
Adam: I really want to go golfing this Saturday with my friends.
Britney: We can't afford it.
Adam: Dream crusher. 
Anyways, I was inspired by Mrs. Breezie Bitter to make a list of things I intend on getting done during the 7-week break (starting tomorrow!):
1. Running everyday to compensate for the amount of eating I'm planning on doing 
2. Go to Monkey Rock and bridge jump
3. Re-do our wall canvases--they need more purple, I'm kind of obsessed with purple right now.
4. Eat pizza at Grimmaldi's in Brooklyn
5. Get a Phili cheesesteak with my brother 
6. Go to Rita's for Italian Ice (my favorite is chocolate, is that weird?)
7. Go to the Jersey Shore and not see Snookie 
8. Jump into Lake George in the Adirondacks and sleep in--that usually gets grandpa mad because we sleep through tennis lessons every year
9. Go to West Point Military Academy and double with my friend Tara and her man..maid of honor and I haven't seen her in 2 years
10. Squeeze my parents' dogs
11. Bask in humidity and frizzy hair--Adam's gets curly
12. Go to Carlo's Bakery and get Italian Wedding Cake with Lobster tails (Karl's the guy from Cake Boss)
13. Do girls night with my sisters and Mom before Briana moves to LA
14. Take practice nursing tests so I don't fail the exit exam in December (I graduate in DECEMBER!)
15. Kiss Grandpa--my first love
16. Go to H&M
17. Go to consignment stores
18. Eat a cannoli and tomato pie
19. Bake with my Mom
20. Go to the Manhattan Temple again
21. Sit in Central Park with a pretzel the size of a wheel barrel
If I can do all of these things I think I'll feel satisfied with life, nostalgia, and year-long food cravings. I am my oldest sister's sister...of course. 

Allure of Trousers

This week's Covet Corner features a pair of trousers I purchased from Urban Outfitters a couple weeks ago. For you modest ladies, these bottoms are perfect for keeping cool, yet covered for the rest of the summer.
Take a look! 
HERE
Also, my super awesome creative photography friend Myra asked me to model for her to beef up her portfolio. The pictures are killer, all credit to her, and I wore the trousers in a couple of the shots, which I will feature here in a couple of days. 
Stay tuned!

Dear Jeffrey

Dear Jeffrey Campbell,
I have recently fallen in love with you. Fellow bloggers, I am in love with shoes by Jeffrey Campbell. His unique marriage of edge and trendiness is far too delicious for me, so-much-so that my heart races, my eyes widen and I can't get his designs out of my mind until I have found the perfect item for me. 
What do I want from you?:
Ever since I saw these on Tieka I have coveted their ridiculously trendy companionship and have been internet stalking them for months. (p.s. Isn't Tieka gorgeous?) I will be purchasing these beautiful boots. 


As well as these:
I AM IN LOVE WITH THESE.

Talk about my kind of wedges. I'm not going to lie--I hate those ridiculously girly white ones with a bow at the end and cork soled wedges. HATE them. I mean seriously--if you're going to wear a wedge, wear a real wedge. And thanks to my good friend Jeffrey, you all know what a real wedge is. 
Oh fashion, why do you have to be my one big weakness (besides chocolate)? You're a pricey weakness and I unfortunately have a despairingly expensive taste. If only I was 5 foot 10 in., 100 lbs., and Karl Lagerfeld loved me could I on a daily basis show off your awesomeness to the world. 
For some reason, getting a pair of new shoes makes the world seem like a better, happier place. And I'm OK with that.
What would you wear these shoes with?

Summer Considerations

Ughhhh I totally meant to have Adam take some pictures of my new outfit that I wore today. The lame story is that Adam had to leave right after dropping me off at home from school for golf practice and I was busy selling some closet items to a "client." So lame, but just because I love you all, I'll break some sort of high school faux paus and wear the same outfit twice in one week (or month), but not until Saturday. So anyway, closet sale is still going-going, don't forget to take a look! Items are going fast, but it's first comment first serve. So if you're not sure if you want something or not, tell me either way and I'll hold it for you.
www.britneyscloset.wordpress.com (just in case you forgot the site). 
So anyway, today was just another normal day. I started my nursing pediatrics class. My teacher is the department chair of nursing and I'm kind of intimidated by her position and the fact that she has her lectures video taped. Later, I practiced in the nursing lab with my lovely fellow peers. The funniest part was that I set up the entire procedure to insert a catheter for a woman when my mannequin had man-parts. Yeah, maybe you just had to be there. We all had a good laugh when I spread(ed) the legs apart and started draping for "privacy." 
For anyone interested, I am looking for a killer skirt. No real requirements, just knee length without a slit that goes up to the bum.
Currently, I'm contemplating my next purchases. What do you think of the following TOPS from Urban Outfitters?:

This blazer actually buttons twice on the top. It's very tailored and clean cut. I WANT IT. But I feel like I need more summer clothes. 
If you're feeling the urge to help a sister out, point me in the right direction of other choices and/or tell me which of the following I should or shouldn't consider. 
Thank you for your consideration.
xoxo

Nostalgic Dresses

Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok: I'm really excited about the most recent Covet Corner that's been featured. I featured one of my favorite online boutiques, ModCloth (modcloth.com). They have the perfect vintage dresses to showcase my childhood nostalgia. 
Read it. 
No seriously, read it.
And comment on it.
And then write something for Hopscotch For Women. 
The end. 
(Outfit post tomorrow!)


GO HERE to read it!

Visits to Utah

So I know that I've basically been the worst blogger of all time recently, but I've made a resolve to do better (didn't she already say that). The last two weekends Adam and I have been down in Utah--once for a wedding and family visit and another for school career exertions. We've had a very eventful, yet relaxing couple of weeks and I'm sad to say that my diet has definitely taken the backseat to P.H. Changs, Marie Calendars, Carrabbas, cake, and lots of desserts. I almost forgot how much I loved food. I promise to make a more earnest resolve to keep everyone updated. It was just hard to get myself to sit down with my computer after an exhausting day of running around Salt Lake City, when I could procrastinate like no one's business and do it all in one shot tonight. Don't hate on me. 

So, last weekend my good friend, Heidi, and her wonderful husband, Ty, were married and Mom and Dad Stevens and Adam's little brother Nick decided that they would come visit and take the drive down to Salt Lake with us. WE HAD A BLAST. Of course, Mom and I went shopping while the boys golfed. It was a great feeling to have family with us again and I felt as though school was over and I was moving down to Utah to enjoy some post-semester events (as if). Amongst our business, we totally didn't take any pictures with Mom and Dad in Utah, but got a quick family shot before they left for Washington--and yes, I have shark eyes.  

Beautiful couple, right?!

That next Wednesday, I went down to Salt Lake with my nursing girlies for the traditional 3rd semester student hospital trip. Adam also went down for his traveling class to visit a bunch of design firms, but we weren't going to meet up until Friday. Our nursing class visited Mt. Timpanogas hospital, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, Intermountain Hospital in Murray, and Primary Children's hospital. Aside from the catty nurse managers from Intermountain (they were on a hiring freeze and thought they were cool or something), we had a rather positive trip, when it comes to potential employment, and, of course, we enjoyed our time together. I was particularly impressed with Primary Children's Hospital and would consider doing pediatrics solely because of their impeccable mission and positive work environment, and only if I could work there.

This is all of us on the Trax system in Salt Lake. We got free tickets, but no one even asked to see them (some claim to have traveled on it for 6 months without being asked for proof of purchase). We got done at about noon and Adam wasn't going to be done in Park City until 6, so of course I went shopping. I'll have to definitely take pictures this week of each of the items I bought from Urban Outfitters and Aldo from the earnings of my closet sale. It feels so great to FINALLY be wearing clothes that I LOVE. 
Once my clothes cravings were mildly satisfied, I picked up Adam in Park City and we headed down to Provo to spend time with our good friends Phil and Jessica Goodwin. We just love them. Instead of sitting around or spending money that Saturday, Phil and Jessica had the genius idea of going on a hike to some hot springs over in American Fork. IT WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A HIKE. Not kidding, I thoroughly enjoy hiking. I think my particular beef with running is that I sometimes feel like I'm not getting anywhere during my workout (on the track or treadmill). But with hiking, I got the perfect amount of hills, turns, and downward slides. And what was my reward? Relaxing in some hot springs with my hot husband. That's my kind of workout. We were having so much fun later on that night that we decided to spend another night with our friends and enjoyed going to church with them.
It was beautiful in Utah and we're basically ready to murder Rexburg for still being 59 and rainy. 

So, again, I feel horrible for not being more proactive. Maybe it's because I got my hair accidentally chopped off and I feel self-conscious and emotional without my hair to hide behind. Either way, I promise to post everyday this week. 
Things I learned these few weeks:
P.H. Changs is fantastic. 
Marie Calendar's is divine. 
Adam's cousin's little boys look exactly like him (I will be stealing one of them).
Mom Stevens is obsessed with flats. 
It's way better to buy one pair of good quality shoes than 5 pairs of crappy uncomfortable ones for the same price. 
Utah weddings are only 2 hours long. 
Hospitals actually want me. 
I am obsessed with Urban Outfitters and frozen yogurt. 
Phil, Jessica, Adam and I LOVE food. Like really love food. 
Adam and I can still sleep in. 
I'm still afraid of heights. 
Jessica has impeccable skin (it's OK to hate her). 
There is a Carrabbas Italian Grill in Provo, and it's delicious, and they give you free dessert if you say it's your anniversary.
I still miss Adam after only being apart 3 days. 
Hm. We had a good time.