comfy grunge

comfy grunge by soccergirl1614 featuring beatle boots

LAZY GIRL GUIDE: DIY HOLIDAY GIFTS (statement necklaces)

Hello! So if you're lazy like me, you will also put off holiday shopping until the last possible moment and then kick yourself when you're in a crowded mall the Tuesday before Christmas Eve. So I've decided to do a special set of lazy girl guides, specific for the holiday season. Luckily, I've got a few tricks to help you avoid the crowd and still have a pretty awesome gift for whoever.

I really like statement necklaces because you can wear a basic sweater, but when you pair it with a statement necklace, you elevate your look by ten thousand and now you look like you tried, especially when you didn't. I've actually been low-key collecting DIY statement necklace blogs all year long (because I'm an Internet hoarder like that...) and here are a few that I've found that are seemingly foolproof and will just require some free time, creativity, and some patience. I actually plan on trying a few of these out for some friends and family, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

1. Colorful Beaded Necklace from makingitlovely.com

http://makingitlovely.com/2012/05/23/how-to-make-a-statement-necklace/

I think this necklace will be the quickest out of all of the links I'm going to talk about. This necklace can be used to colorblock a neon outfit or just jazz up a classic black ensemble. And of course, you can take your own spin on it and add different colors and lengths to yours. This necklace is simple, yet eye-catching and will definitely bring a smile to any statement necklace aficionado.

BREAK DOWN:

• 3 strands of the same color bead, just different sizes. 
• make sure each strand is subsequently longer than the last
• attach together to a jump ring
• add a chain with a lobster clasp and you're done

2. chain, bead, ribbon necklace from beadandcord.com 

http://www.beadandcord.com/clipper/lydia/diy-statement-jewelry-12734/75835.html

This one is a good way to use leftover beads, ribbons, and chains just lying around. It seems fairly simple and creates a very fashionable necklace. I figure that I don't need to do a breakdown of the necklace since the picture is included. 

3. 

LAZY GIRL GUIDE TO: PROM

Hello! So I know, it's been a while, but I promise that I have a pretty good post planned for today. So as you all know, I am a self-proclaimed lazy person when it comes to looking/acting feminine and I would much rather wear leggings and a crewneck to most things. However, prom is different. I decided to write about prom because prom season is just about to start up again so here it is. I don't know about other schools, but prom is the only dance that my school has. We don't have homecoming (although we have assemblies and coronation for our homecoming court) or Sadie's/turnabout so prom is a pretty big deal. Ours is junior and senior prom too because the senior class usually doesn't have enough money to host prom by themselves so I got to go last year. Here's what I learned:

1. comfy shoes are important.

Unless you're willing to dance right through the inevitable pain of wearing high heels or take your heels off and dance barefoot, comfy shoes are important. I wore a short dress last year and of course, I wore like four inch high heels and after ten minutes, I was in pain. And someone stepped on my foot on the dance floor and left an ugly bruise on the side of my foot. Anyways, comfy shoes are important.

2. if you have a long dress, beware.

The floor at whatever location is probably disgusting or not very clean so your dress will collect dirt. We have our prom in a basketball stadium (classy right?) and it's gross. And my friend wore a really nice long dress that she sewed (crazy skills!) and someone's heel tore a hole in it. Beware of the heels. Not only can heels tear your dress, they can also hold your dress down unknowingly. I know a lot of my friends had to carry their dress/lift them a little so that they wouldn't be trampled.

3. No date? No problem.

Okay, unless your school is super weird, nobody cares if you really have a date. In my little friend circle, most people had dates that they were either forced to ask/asked out of niceness and many of them ended up complaining about their date afterwards. Also it's really fun to go sans a date because there's so much freedom in doing what you want. The whole prom date scenario caused too much unnecessary drama among my friends last school year and it definitely wasn't worth it. I personally went without a date with a group of different friends and it was super fun.

4. Nobody cares about your makeup or hair or really anything.

If you spend 3 hours on makeup and nails and hair, why? Prom is in a dark room where everybody's eyesight is limited to about ten feet and nobody will care about how you look when you're all on a dance floor. It seems like a waste of money and time to get all of the works done for a few sweaty hours of dancing. Just my take on it.

5. Don't wear valuables.

Girls, don't bring out the diamond jewelry for prom. 1. You risk the chance of losing your valuables easily when you're dancing and moving for three+ hours. 2. It's high school prom. In twenty years, you'll just look back on how much fun you had, rather than what accessories you had on.

6. Have fun. Don't stress over it.

Prom will be insignificant in the scope of your life, so just have a fun time and enjoy it.

Here's what I wore to my junior prom:

I got my dress from Windsor and it's in a really nice burgundy color. I just adjusted my measurements to their sizing chart and my dress fit almost perfectly. I didn't need to get alterations or anything and I thought it was at a very good price. I didn't wear any jewelry (evident laziness) and I had a black clutch with gold sequin high heels. I wouldn't break the bank on prom unless you really want to. I had a few friends drive more than an hour to boutiques for Jovani dresses, which are super expensive. If you want to do that, go for it! But just know that prom dresses are hard to sell and there isn't another purpose for a prom dress after prom, unless you're uber creative. Those are my tips and see you next time lazy girl guide! 

LAZY GIRL GUIDE: Fitness

Hello! So I know, it's that time of the year again, where we go overboard on the food because it's the holidays and sweaters can cover up everything. And as a self-proclaimed lazy person, I wholeheartedly understand this dilemma. I think I've already explained my story in another blog post, but it was probably eons ago so here we go.

Once upon a time, little sophomore me played high school soccer. That went fine. Until November and December rolled around and I overate A LOT so I gained a lot of weight. PAUSE I'm not trying to say a number on a scale defines anyone because it doesn't. But I knew I weighed way more than I should and I was unhappy with how I looked. So I tried running, which is something I hadn't done since middle school cross country, and I lost about 15 pounds, which is great. I also pushed myself to run a half-marathon and that also happened so yay for being somewhat accomplished (I just really wanted a sticker on my car). But now, college application and school season is hitting me hard and I haven't been able to find time to run. It gets dark about 5:00 pm here in the Midwest and usually I don't get home until 6:00 and there's eating and stuff. So I've taken to a few new ways of exercise. Here they are:

1. Blogilates
 I know, I know, I talk about Blogilates way too much. But seriously, Cassey Ho gets you worked out so well and she is so funny and personable. I highly recommend her plank videos because you will hurt, but you can also study or read throughout the routine, if you're a nerd like me. And her cheap clean eats are hands-down the best things ever. All you need is a phone or tablet or laptop with Youtube and you'll be set to go. This is her Playa del Plank video and trust me, you will cry every time she says rest in plank because it BURNS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVdng_dq-sE
2. FitnessBlender
Okay, so maybe I'm a little obsessed with Youtube, but this channel is a couple and they are so cute. And you will hate them throughout the videos, but afterwards you will love them. I highly recommend the Red Light, Green Light video, mainly because I'm basically a little kid and love that game and it keeps you constantly alert. This link goes to the Brutal HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Ladder video; I love it. It works you hard and you'll be done in 20 minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZnsLVArIt8
3. Zumba Classes
I have something like Zumba in my town called Pulse and it is the funniest workout I've ever done. Most towns have some sort of zumba class or dance cardio combination and I find that time passes so quickly. Also it helps when there is a hundred other people feeling the same pain that you do, so bring a friend. This link goes to the Pulse channel and this video shows you what Pulse is like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxJ_AtdbD9E
4. Walk your dog
Okay so maybe all of us don't have dogs. But just go for a little walk if you have time. It's not as strenuous on your muscles as running and you won't be as gross after, but you'll be fit.

5. Insanity
I'm so excited to talk about this one because I am trying this out, starting today. It claims to transform your body in sixty days with the same result you would see in a year. Today is the fitness test for it and I'm eager to tell you guys about how it goes! I've heard it is really hard, but it seems like zumba. You have to buy some DVDs for it, but I'm cheap so I'm watching Youtube videos of each exercise.

Okay these are some lazy girl ways to discreetly get exercise in, without actually doing that much/leaving your house. Hope these work and I'll keep you posted on my Insanity activities (you can follow it on my Wordpress blog: http://anthearuns.wordpress.com). Bye!

LAZY GIRL GUIDE TO: EVERY DAY HAIRSTYLES

Hello! I know it's been a while, but alas the torturous finals week just passed. And yes, my school is on trimesters, not semesters, therefore explaining the strange date of finals week. Anyways, I thought I would share some every day hairstyles for lazy girls, but still want to look good. I typically spend about three minutes on my hair due to these hairstyles.

1. Messy Ponytail (~1 minute or less)

• spray some sea salt spray (I use NYM Beach Babe Spray) into your hair and scrunch
• optional: texturizing paste (FX paste works well) for additional texture
• grab a ponytail holder and tie your hair into a loose ponytail
• tighten the ponytail and then when I want my hair to look a little messier, I either have a bathroom dance party or jump up and down a few times to get that bedhead, natural look. 

2. Messy Bun (~2 minutes)

• sea salt spray and texturizing paste again
• gather all of your hair and twist it until it becomes a bun
• bobby pin it and voila

3. Half Up, Half Down (~1 minute)

• sea salt and paste once again
• then scrunch extra 
• roughly take one inch sections from each side 
• pin them together in the back where they intersect 

4. Messy Pinned Back Updo (~3 minutes)

• sea salt, paste, scrunch
• pin random pieces of hair back roughly
• add a nice statement pin or ribbon

This website (http://www.sunandmooncraftkits.com/filigree-hair-barrettes.html) has super cute barettes and hair clips and they're all for a really affordable price! I'm not sponsored to say this, I just found their website and it looks really nice. 

Well, that's all I've got! I usually repeat these hairstyles basically every day during school because I just don't apply heat to my hair ever. However, if you do use salt spray and paste very often, it will dry your hair out so I recommend a regular mask or leave-in conditioner like the Macadamia brand. It smells really good and it can be found at most salons and also at some TJMaxx stores. Good luck and see you next time! 

LAZY GIRL GUIDE TO: WINTER COATS

Hello! So I know that in the Midwest, it's already starting to get cold and it'll be cold for the next five months which stinks. So I wanted to make a lazy girl guide to coats (apologies to all the people in California or Florida since this post doesn't really apply to you guys) I've picked out a few coats that will be functional, fashionable, and will be weather-proof for the multiple feet of snow that we're supposed to get. I'm not really looking forward to this winter at all, especially since our fall was so short. Okay, anyways, let's get started:


1. Forever 21 Faux Fur-Lined Parka ($83 online)

This coat may be a little pricey for Forever 21, but I've felt this coat in-store and it feels HEAVENLY. It is so soft and I can tell that the lining will definitely keep you warm on those days where the wind is super cold and frigid. This parka also has a hood (in case you forget a hat!), a zipper and buttons (double protection), pockets, and cute elbow patches. I think this parka is definitely functional and fashionable for the cold weather! I also love this military green color and I think you guys will see that throughout these coats.

2. ASOS Faux Fur Hooded Detachable Lined Parka ($86, currently SOLD OUT) 

Okay this coat is pretty similar to the Forever 21 coat, but I liked it because it has more pockets and zippers as decoration on the coat and ASOS also has better quality than Forever 21 usually so although this coat may be a little more expensive, the quality will be good. I know that it is currently sold out (bummer because I wanted one), but I'll have an update when they come back out again. 

3. Express Classic Trench Coat ($89.60)

This coat is perfect for the ladies who still want to have that classic look without being freezing. This Express coat is just the epitome of classic trench coat/Serena van der Woodsen look and I think it would be perfect with matching winter accessories like gloves, a hat or a scarf. The khaki color of this coat also makes it that much more classy, but this coat also comes in a black hue. 

4. Echo Design Ombre Multi Stripe Tube ($38 on Zappos) 

Since I talked about accessories in the previous coat, I'd thought it would only be fair to include some of them. This scarf is from Zappos and not only looks fashionable, but it is also made of a durable material that will keep your neck warm this winter. Personally I hate when a coat doesn't cover my neck area and part of me is left freezing so I scour websites for the best scarves. This scarf also comes in a red and blue ombre which leads to many possibilities on winter days, especially to brighten up an outfit. 

5. Neff Beanie (around $15)

I think everyone has seen these famous beanies and I think beanies are perfect for winter days. They cover your ears and your head and keep your head warm. It also comes in a variety of colors and can cover up any bad hair day. These are just perfect for the grunge girl or just any girl looking to save herself from the dreadful hair day. 

Okay, that's all for me! These are just some ideas for this upcoming winter season for all of my ladies living in a cold place too. I know it might not be applicable to everyone, especially those in negative degree weather, but hopefully it's a start! 

Timberlands Lookalikes

Hello my lovelies! I hope you're all having a good week. I've been a bit stressed since it's finals week for me (yay for the trimester system). However, I have had time to look for some cute new fall and winter boots. I usually have problems with gross slushy Midwest winter and sadly, the past winter, I fell numerous times due to my fashionable, yet not quite functional shoes. So here I am, proclaiming a new love for badass, tough-girl Timberland boots. However, not all of us can fork over $120, especially on a minimum wage budget. So I've found some lookalikes for all of us girls still looking to stay fashionable, but not break the bank.

1. Union Bay Macon Boot ($29.99, but usually $50)
These boots are a dead ringer for the famous Timberlands that I long for, yet don't have money for. I find these are a good substitute.



http://tjmaxx.tjx.com/store/jump/product/shoes/departments/boots-&-booties/combat/Macon-Boot/1000021675?colorId=NS1003454

2. Esprit Forest Lug Boots ($24.99, usually $40)

These look like the Union Bay boots almost to a tee. Oh yeah, this pair and the first one are both from TJMaxx, where I have recently rediscovered a love for their products.

http://tjmaxx.tjx.com/store/jump/product/Forest-Lug-Boot/1000035471?cs=PDP

3. Rock & Candy Bulldozer Booties ($44.95, not $65)



These cool booties also are very similar to the pricey Timberlands, but I like these because they come in a variety of colors as well. They come in a winey-burgundy, a dark military green, and the standard tan. These are from DSW aka my heaven.

http://www.dsw.com/shoe/rock+.and.+candy+bulldozer+bootie?prodId=311866&category=dsw12cat2440002&activeCats=cat10006,cat20173,dsw12cat244000

4. Dirty Laundry Remix Bootie ($59.95, not $70)

These have a little twist compared to the typical Timberlands. I'm not sure how these shoes hold up to the actual boots in term of grip and functionality, but hey they're definitely a different option for girls who love heels and the outdoors. These have a 3 and a half inch heel but the heel looks pretty thick so it should be fairly comfy.


http://www.dsw.com/shoe/dirty+laundry+remix+bootie?prodId=309842&category=dsw12cat2440002&activeCats=cat10006,cat20173,dsw12cat2440002

Okay and those are some cheaper alternatives to the widely popular Timberland boots. Happy shopping and have a great week!