Get Rid of Drama

As finals have been kicking my ass with vengeance, I have had some time to self reflect on life. Odd timing… but when things get hectic I like to sit back and realize what is really important RIGHT NOW. I evaluate what I need to focus on and what can I get rid of to make me happier and stress free.

Okay lets go ahead and start with useless drama that I discovered I have right now:

1.     Friend drama

2.     Stressing over final grades

3.     Stressing over trying to eat healthy and work out enough.

All three are pointless…

I can’t become to emotionally involved in friend’s drama because it stresses me out. All I can do is give them my best advice and hope that they can figure it out on their own.

For finals… I’ve worked my butt off all semester. All I can do is study hard and try my best.

Stressing out over being healthy and working out is a toughie because it’s important! As long as I try my best and work hard at making sure I get the right nutrients and working out an adequate amount I’m fine! I’m healthy and I shouldn’t be too hard on myself about it.

The song 4^th of July by Stephen Kellogg, introduced to me by my good friend Brigid has the line, “Did you ever think that if you're not happy it's because of you.” This song has really inspired me to relax and realize the good things I have, and why I should be so proud and happy. I have great friends, a wonderful boyfriend, and a beautiful family all who care for and support me! SO FINALS, bring it on! Everyone is in control of their own happiness. So cut out the drama and surround yourself with people and things that make you happy. This is especially important during stressful times like finals.

Find a playlist that will inspire you to relax. My best advice for finals is free yourself of the excess drama and focus on the things that make you happy. Right now shopping for shoes I can’t afford is easing some stress… take a minute and drool over these luxury shoes and bags J. I have a fetish with black and white and sparkly things!

Xx good luck on finals. 

My Favorite iPhone App & Blogs

As i sit at my desk avoiding studying for finals, i remembered that i told Kelci i would do a blog post. YES! Legit distraction.




So, for all of you who have iphones i am here to tell you about my favorite app of all time.

It is called FeatherReport. This app locates where you are and finds the weather temperature THEN gives you an outfit to wear based on the weather conditions!

I look at this before i get dressed almost everyday to get inspirations!



AND all of you readers who are not fortunate enough to have iphones i thought i would share my top 5 blogs that i am obsessed with also.
I keep whole separate window up on my computer for these blogs and just refresh them everyday. So nerdy, i know.
Or you could use


But here they are (in no particular order)
1. http://theseams.blogspot.com/
2. http://seaofshoes.com/
3. http://nikkidesuasido.blogspot.com/
4. http://www.theoliviaalo.blogspot.com/
5. http://tuolomee.blogspot.com/

I hope you guys enjoy these as much as i do! I love following people who have SUCH A COOLER life than i do!

 
Hope you all had fun at the LAUNCH PARTY! Because i sure did have a blast!
 Good luck on exams,
and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
 

Xoxo, Meredith 

--Meredith Fossett

Study Break

As I am "studying" for my exams I find lots of fun things to throw in as study breaks.  Like going to stumbleupon.com and flipping through magazines.  After being told recently that I could really use a manicure I took the time to examine my poor hands.  These little babes ferociously type out paper after paper, get abused by my refusal to use tongs when handling my prints in the chemicals in the dark room, get sliced at work when I am being careless, and have allergic reactions to copper in my metals class.  Needless to say, my hands go through a lot on a daily basis and I rarely take the time to pamper them the way they deserve.  I think one of the reasons is because when it comes to doing my nails I am either too impatient and end up messing up my hard work 10 seconds after I paint them  or I find it is pointless to spend all that time on something that will chip off during the next project I encounter.

Well my view has changed with the help of one little glorious product:

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear, one little swipe of this magical stuff and my nail polish seems to last. I of course need to touch up every now and then, but I no longer stress about ruining my polish before it has dried.  This stuff dries in a matter of seconds and adds a nice shine to the color of my choice.  So during this chilly finals week I would suggest a deep, warm brown to keep your blood flowing.  It took me awhile to find the color I wanted, many browns were too red or purple, but this is the perfect hot-chocolatey color I imagined on my little nails.

So when you are in need of a study break, give yourself 10-15 minutes to pamper your poor nails that go through so much for you each and everyday. Top it all off with a little lotion to keep hangnails to a minimum and knuckles from cracking and you will feel like a new person ready to conquer any test/paper/project in your way of break.

Good luck on your finals, I'll be crossing my fingers for you.

Peace,

Kelci

Fml.com

 My life has been the epitome of FML.com.

 Sometimes I sit back and think that I can’t even believe this stuff happens in real life.

 My main question is how far will guys take it to get out of a bad date?

I once had a guy drive back from a lake trip with his family just to hang out with me one night. We were at his house having a good time and he told me he had to go to the bathroom.

He came out and said he almost passed out and felt sick. (He had only 2 beers). He said that he thought he was “dehydrated”. I felt bad and said I could go if he wanted to go to bed.

Of course, he apologized several times and I decided it was best to leave and I pranced on home, giddy as could be, calling my friend to tell her about how CUTE and FUN he was.

Oh wait, yeah I never heard from him again.

I sent him a text the next day to see if he was feeling okay. No response. I took the next step and called. No answer. I was legit worried for his safety, but then it dawned on me.

He faked it.

Yes FML, he faked sick to get me out of his house. The sick part about the whole thing is I thought everything was going so well. One day I will run into this guy again in the far future and ask him what the HELL I could have possibly done to make him fake it.

Did I smell bad?

Thank God for FML.com because with out it I would probably be curled up in bed with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s critizing myself, but now all I do is sit back and laugh at how utterly random and insane dating and life in general can be at times.

I guess the best thing to do is share our stories, laugh at the curse of bad luck and move on to the next day.

Be FAB in your single shoes, xx caitlin.

--Caitlin Gaynort

Mysterious Coat

While home over Thanksgiving break i stumbled upon this amazing coat. It has been hiding from me in my small downstairs coat closet i often forget exists. This coat is one of those great finds my mom got at a department store that was originally some crazy amount of money. BUT like the thrifty shopper she is, probably got it for around $50 bucks. (Maybe because it is a size XS)

I love the fur and uniqueness of this coat and want to wear it to the launch party but i don't know what to wear it with!

So, i was hoping you guys could give me some suggestions. 

Here it is:

 Its such a weird color of jacket mixed with the fur. My stylish self is completely stumped on this one.I feel as if i need to wear brown but my whole closet is BLACK!

Any suggestions? See what i come up with for the Launch Party at 3 Trees on Wednesday night!

P.S. The fur is Mongolian. I'm usually against real fur and would rather wear faux. BUT, i didn't buy this one and couldn't possibly let it go to waste!

Xoxo, Meredith


-- Meredith Fossett

Rankin Rocks

I woke up this morning and had trouble falling back asleep so I decided to start my day off productively.  So I grabbed the stack of tear-outs from magazines that I've had sitting around my room since early September and put them to use.  My once bare white wall is now covered with page after page of cool photos [I'm going to be honest with you, I don't look through magazines for the clothes, but more for the interesting photos] of celebrities, models, and scenery.  My favorite of these pages has to be the ones that photographer Rankin shot of Lindsay Lohan.

I've always been intrigued by Linds and these pics def reinforce my fascination of her.  With the "edgy" styling and intense lighting, Rankin definitely got her "don't mess with me, I do what I want" side to come out. That is the key to good photography, getting the personality trait of the model to portray your theme of the shoot.  So I commend Rankin [http://www.rankin.co.uk/] and hope you all check out some of his stuff.  He rocks.

Peace,
Kelci

--Kelci House

Trend: Party Dresses

Now that Thanksgiving is over, December (prime holiday party season) is quickly approaching. A new dress makes attending holiday parties more fun without the stress of deciding what to wear from your closet! Forever 21 has a great selection of fun party dresses at great prices. Check out some of my picks (above) that incorporate some of this season's trends such as a single shoulder strap and 80's inspired silhouettes.

--Lindsay O'Hara

The Brands We Know (and Love)

  As consumers, we all have our "go to" brands. Whether that be J.Crew, Patagonia, or whatever, we all fall into the trap of shopping within our comfort zone.  Trust me, I fall into "pattern" as well.  It hasn't been until recently that I came to the realization that my closet is too homogeneous.  For someone with an abundance of clothes, I find myself staring blankly into my closet looking for something to wear (this is more so on the weekends or dressing up for certain occasions).  I try and figure out why this is, and can never seem to find a logical conclusions.  That is, until recently.

  Despite all of the current trends and collection pieces that I own, I still find my wardrobe to be kind of bland.  But, now, I realize why this is.  I fall into the trap of buying clothes that I feel comfortable purchasing.  I seem to use the excuse that an item is "practical" or "I'll wear this way more frequently than I will that other sweater (the one with plaid and a hood)."  Or, on a more macro level, I'll go into J.Crew or the Gap when looking for something new.  This, however, is the problem.  I need to branch-out of my typical shopping patterns and begin to buy items that I don't have.  Items that cannot even be considered "similar" to something else in my closet.

This is what I am urging others to do as well.  I'm not saying that you have to spend more money than you normally would, but just seek out different brands, ones that you would normally look past.  I feel that this is a great way to keep your wardrobe looking fresh and exciting at all times.  Saving you from that moment where no matter what you put on, it will just look the same anyways.   And, with the holiday season upon us, this is the perfect time to ask for something bold.  Something that will have you standing out in the crowd when second semester rolls around.

--Michael Bloom

Trend: Booties

As I am currently on the tiniest airplane ever I can’t help but notice all of the fun and fearless fashions that you see at airports.  For some reason airports seem like a go crazy pass to wear whatever you want. At least, that’s how I see it. Because no one knows where you’re coming from, or where your going. They may be quick to judge but hey, you probably wont see any of these people again! Even though I am crammed next to a man that has an odd smell I still am so happy because I am wearing my brand new booties.

For the holidays, all I could think about was how I wanted a cute pair of ankle boots. I have spent most of my time lately drooling over amazing ones on the Topshop and Christian Louboutin website. However, yes, call me cheap I have on my lovely ones I got from forever21. The best part about them is that they were only 25 dollars and I have successfully made it on the plane and my feet still don’t hurt.

I figured what better time to break in my new shoes than an airport... the carpeted floor makes it feel like one big runway!

I’m still loving the thought of winter clothes...hopefully this feeling doesn’t fade away anytime soon!

Another pair that i have been keeping my eye on for Christmas are these:

I love the biker feel with the studs and buckles. I don't have anything like them.

Here are some other winter trends I am loving:

XOXO Meredith 

--Meredith Fossett

Style Inspiration

Trend: Sequins

Sequins are a must-have trend for this holiday season. Featured above are some of my favorite budget-friendly sequin pieces from Forever 21. To pull off sequins, make sure to pick only one sequined piece and pair it with a simple outfit.

--Lindsay O'Hara

Ugly Christmas Sweaters

So, the holidays are creeping up fast. What better way to celebrate than with a ugly sweater holiday party? It's become somewhat of a college tradition; almost like a competition of who can find the best ugly Christmas sweater. I always find myself at a mad dash to find something fun to wear and I normally have more than one holiday party to go to so I never want to repeat the same sweater twice. Last year I randomly decided to search ebay.com and I hit the jackpot! As I started the type into the search box "ugly..." the drop down menu filled it in for me, "ugly Christmas sweater". I instantly got excited, I guess I should have thought that ebay would have a market for this kind of fashion. Right now there are almost 5,000 different ugly sweaters to choose from. They offer all different styles of styles from turtlenecks to v-necks to cardigans, almost anything you can imagine. Some are simple and some go overboard with funkiness. Some even have bells that jingle as you walk. The more creative you get the more fun you will have celebrating the holidays before Christmas break. You don't want to be the one at the party in a boring red turtleneck because you couldn't find an ugly sweater. There is no such excuse with what ebay has to offer!

Check Out Ugly Christmas Sweaters on Ebay Here

If for some reason ebay doesn't do it for you, check out a local thrift store or Goodwill. Visit thethriftshopper.com and enter your zipcode to find a listing of local thrift stores. New2You in Hamilton is one of the closest to check out, but there are also several in Colerain and Cincinnati. And there is also a Goodwill store in Fairfield.

And as always, accessorize! If you're already wearing an ugly sweater you might as well go all out with Christmas earrings, necklace and red nail polish. Walmart has a huge craft section where you could find cool beads to make Christmas tree earrings or stars. You could even make a necklace out of bells and string so that you can be jingling all night long. Necklaces are also sold that look like mini Christmas tree lights that work with batteries so that you can be lit up all night. Amazon is another place to search and find great accessories. These fun accessories can really bring your fun, holiday outfit together and add even more fun to your night.

Check Out Amazon Holiday Accessories Here

--Samantha Friedman

Last.fm

Last.fm is a website I have been a member of for over 4 years. That's a long time! I've been using it so long because I love it. Once you sign up, you download a "scrobbler" that tracks all of the music you play on your iTunes and iPod. It compiles all that music in one place and uses the music you currently listen to in order to help recommend new music. Its a great way to find new artists and keep track of what you are listening to. Below is a screenshot of some of my library.

Another cool thing on Last.fm is the events. Based on your area and what you have been listening to, Last.fm will create a list of events in your area including all the artists you like. Its a great, easy way to find out what shows are playing nearby.

I definitely recommend signing up and checking it out here. And if you want to take a look at my profile to see some of the features in action, you can check it out here.


--Lindsay O'Hara

New and Fabulous things

So as all of my little photogs are getting ready to set up shoots for our new issue, I thought it would be appropriate to post a new photographer. Lauren Dukoff was introduced to me by Lindsay, our very own marketing manager. After seeing her photography I became obsessed and now have her site bookmarked along with Peggy Sirota's. Check out Lauren Dukoff at http://www.laurendukoff.com/bookdukoff.html she is AWESOME!


Also another cool website I have found that is just amazing is www.weheartit.com
It lets you go through millions of photos, and you can "heart" them and it adds them to an online album. You can also add a button to your browser and if you see a picture on a different webpage you want to have in your album, you click that button and "heart" it and it sends the pic. to your album. Totally rad, right?

Our website should be up soon, so get ready for some fab Up photography on there, I know the returning, along with the new, photogs will not cease to wow you this year.

as always,
Peace, Love and Photos.
XX

--Kelci House

Up Video

This is our first video!

--Gina Mueller

A little photo love

I have just been introduced to the best thing on the internet: bloglovin.com
Now instead of spending meaningless hours on facebook, and when I'm bored fml, I can find and follow fashion blogs and be informed of when they update. So cool, right?? (thanks to Callie for that)
Follow my blog with bloglovin (and you can follow us once you sign up!)

On a different, but sort of similar note, Peggy Sirota is one of my FAVORITE photogs and after perusing her book today for about an hour (I am a photo nerd, and proud of it) I really thought I should show everyone some of her work and tell you to check out her website: www.peggysirota.com. She is definitely an inspiration to me, and therefore her work becomes an indirect inspiration for our magazine. So just a little photography treat to get your glands salivating for all the awesome photos we will be having in our upcoming issue, here are some Peggy pics I found.

These are just some previews of her website, so check it out. Her book "Guess Who?" is amazing as well. Ill keep you posted about fab photographers as I come across them. I'm going to end with a quote:

"The soul never thinks without a picture"
-Aristotle

Peace, Love, and Photos

--Kelci House

Jane Aldridge

For the past year I have been obsessed with Sea of Shoes fashion blogger Jane Aldridge. She has been named 'the it girl of tomorrow' at the mere age of 18. Jane and her mother find vintage treasures on ebay. Making her one of the luckiest girls with a closet full of vintage designer pieces. Recently she has been featured in vogue, style.com, and a lookbook for Simone. She has also started a shoe line at Urban Outfitters.

Check her out at http://seaofshoes.typepad.com/sea_of_shoes/

--Gina Mueller

We Who See Field Boot

I think these boots may be my next purchase. They are the 'We Who See Field Boot' from Urban Outfitters and are only $128. They have amazing reviews and they would definitely add some edge to dresses and skirts for fall. Short, lace-up boots have been a huge fall trend and I think these boots are more slender and feminine than the Doc Martens celebs have been seen in recently.

Check them out here:
http://bit.ly/12NMH6

First post!

Welcome to the Up Magazine blog! The editors will be posting about their findings and thoughts on fashion, art, music and culture. Be sure to check back often.