THIS BLOG HAS MOVED!!!

I've been harboring some pretty deep feelings of hate for this blog, so made a new one.

PEACE, LOVE & MAGAZINES

May this one rest in peace.

House of Harlow 1960 earrings

House of Harlow 1960 earrings (see more long dangle earrings)

House of Harlow 1960 Jolie Messenger Bag

House of Harlow 1960 Jolie Messenger Bag (clipped to polyvore.com)

House of Harlow 1960 Antler Wrap Ring

House of Harlow 1960 Antler Wrap Ring (clipped to polyvore.com)

House of Harlow 1960 Engraved 3 Stack Ring

House of Harlow 1960 Engraved 3 Stack Ring (clipped to polyvore.com)

House of Harlow 1960 bracelet

House of Harlow 1960 bracelet (see more leather bangles)

House of Harlow 1960 bracelet

House of Harlow 1960 bracelet (see more cuff bangles)

Happy Halloween!

I don't actually celebrate Halloween, but Feather Magazine does. It's always interesting to see the holiday from the eyes of people who really love it. I remember how excited I was for it as a kid, especially because my mom used to make our costumes. I'm not very crafty, but she used to let me think I was helping.

It was fun when I was a kid, but I outgrew it. I had more fun passing out candy and taking my sisters around the neighborhood than dressing up. I don't have any religious reasons for not celebrating it, just personal ones. I feel the same as R.L. Stine wrote about his views in a New York Times editorial last year.

I'm not one to judge other people. I love that other people like it and sometimes I wish I was one of them. But I'm really the type that stays at home watching The Nightmare Before Christmas with a cup of cocoa.

Ruffled Feathers Friday

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What's in Your Closet?

I love Matchbook, but I'm unfortunately behind on issues. I came across a screenshot from one of their issues with 50 things every Matchbook Girl should own. 

I think pretty much every woman should just have a lot of these items, even if it's in a different style.

You Are Now Watching the Throne

My obsession with N***as in Paris is on a whole different level. As a part of my budgeting process, I'm not downloading more than one song a month and that ship sailed when I decided I couldn't live another moment without Amy Winehouse's Some Unholy War (I suggest the B-side version). I don't care for the name too much, but the beat and the lyrics are awesome. I may have to go to a Watch the Tour date.

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Quote of the Week

-Roald Dahl


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Comic Book Ties

I don't wear bow ties, but I still want these. My culture blog is named The Daily Planet because that's the newspaper where Clark Kent worked and I carry a Spider-Man lunch box to work with my almost every day. Batman was really my first superhero love. And I'm talking old school Gotham City Batman and not this new age Dick Grayson stuff.

Severus Gets A Better Deal

Snape as a child and as an adulthood.

Somehow, the Harry Potter community always finds me—I never have to look. I've always been pretty vocal about my opinion that Severus Snape got a raw end of the deal in the last Harry Potter book. It was even worse in the last film. I'm not really into the whole fan fiction scene. I did have a brief interest back when I was obsessed with One Tree Hill, but that died quickly.


I never considered fan art. When I saw a drawing on Tumblr of Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin, I did a little investigating and found out the artist, ~nami86 on deviantART, has a lot of Harry Potter fan photos, but I was most attracted to the ones of Snape. Nothing can really make up for how rushed and undervalued Snape's story was, but these photos of Lily and Snape help ease some of my bitterness.


(P.S. There's a photo of an older Ron and Hermione below.)

There's no way I could leave out this photo of Ron and Hermione in young adulthood.

The Tattoo Dream

I actually started looking into the symbolism of feathers because I wanted a feather tattoo. I found the name for my magazine because of that research, but I'm too much of a wimp to get a tattoo. Every time I see one, I'm reminded of my cowardice and I remember how much I still really want one.

This one caught my eye because it looks more natural than others I've seen. Plus, I like this spot on the body for one because it's not really visible.

This is NOT Who I Am

These PSAs are so true. I saw them on Tumblr earlier today and had to post them. 

Dapper Darren

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I'll Be Back in Full Effect Next Week...

...and there will be some awesome changes in the next month or so. Get ready!

By the way, I love this song and video.

 

Money Monday: The Art of Couponing

It's been so long since I wrote one of these posts. And since I really took my finances into account. I told you guys I need this to hold myself more accountable.

In the old days, there were just the coupons you clipped, now there are a million ways to get them digitally, too. Trying to figure it out has been both exciting and overwhelming.

First, I want to mention that if you're looking for coupons for shopping, fitness, etc., then sites like Groupon and LivingSocial are the way to go. I got a pair of shoes from ShoeDazzle for $20 with a Groupon discount. Since every shoe on that site is $40, it turned out to be a 50% discount. And I was able to use the coupon for a year, which helped because I didn't find a pair I really liked until a month or two later. If you're a shopping addict like me, sites like this can help you indulge your addiction without breaking the bank. I actually haven't been shopping since spring, so I'm really proud of myself.

Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about groceries. Clothes are important, but I wouldn't suggest eating a cardigan. Where's the nutritional value in that? I looked around the Internet and found four sites that were immediately bookmarked:

The Krazy Coupon Lady: Anyone who finds a coupon for $1 Kettle chips is a winner in my book. A lot of her information stipulates that it's for the 90210 area code, so some may not translate to your area. It doesn't hurt to find out, though. Thanks to my friend Yara for suggesting this one!

Southern Savers: There are certain stores that are pretty much exclusively located in the south, like Publix. It's nice to have a site that caters to southern chains. They also post a lot of stuff about magazine subscription discounts. I've cut down severely on my monthly magazine budget, so I hope they have a deal soon for a publication that I used to buy regularly.

Smart Source: This is an easy way to go through and check the coupons you like. When you're done, you can print them all out. Instead of the blog format in the others, this one is more straightforward with just the details of the coupon and box to check if you want to print it. I can get through it a lot quicker that way.

Target: I don't know how well known it is that Target puts their coupons on a subdomain. It's a similar set up to Smart Source, but  even easier to find what you're looking for. It also helps relieve some doubts about whether or not items will be a in store. If you get a coupon for a certain brand of chicken online, you can't really be sure if it's at the store you're going to. This gets rid of a little of that inconvenience, but all Target stores aren't exactly created equal.

One thing I'm definitely going to watch is the coupons that want you to buy multiple things. That's how the people on Extreme Couponing end up with a garage full of food that they'll only finish in the event of a nuclear holocaust. I eat frozen food on occasion, so that will be an exception sometimes. A couple of dollars off of three Lean Cuisines is a problem I'd like to have.

Feather Magazine is Here!

The magazine finally launched today after months of hard work and dedication. I'm so thankful for such an amazing staff and to have so many supportive readers! I also feel extremely blessed to have so many great family members and friends who haven't doubted my abilities for a second.

I hope to start blogging regularly again next week, but for now focus on our amazing website!

Night Surfing, Anyone?

I'm sorry for being absent. I've been sick and I got really behind on preparation for the launch. I'm still not 100% better, but the show must go on.

I was just thinking about this night surfing video and decided to share it. I think this is a beautiful short and it takes my breath away every time.

I'll probably still be pretty much a ghost until after our launch next week, but I'm sure you can all live without me. 

Launching a Magazine is Hard Work

Only 12 days until our launch, so you will be seeing very little of me. I didn't have time for Friday Faves and I will try to schedule a post for Money Monday.

If I did have a faves list this week, it would feature Scott Schuman's (aka The Sartorialist) photos for Levi's. I need a chambray shirt like yesterday.

After reading Lauren Conrad's posts for Forbes, I'd also add that. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about brand management.

Speaking of brand management, have you checked out Ruffled Feathers lately?

Design Crush: Office Decor and the Single Girl

I was watching Sex and the Single Girl last weekend and I fell in love with the lead female character's office. It's simple black and white, but the furniture structure takes a classic decorating technique to the next level. When I have my own office one day, it's going to look almost exactly like this.

Style Crush: Grace Kelly

Actress Grace Kelly, or Princess Grace as she was called after marrying the Prince of Monaco, is always shown in gorgeous dresses and dripping in diamonds or pearls. This natural photo of her in menswear shows that she didn't need those things to be beautiful. I love how her inner beauty is really shining through.

Plus, I really like to see women in menswear.

Image found here.

Money Monday: My Budget

After my post last week about the beginning of Money Monday, my friend Yara told me she and her boyfriend use a Google Docs template. I didn't even know they made templates! I tried out a couple and found the best fit for me was Personal Monthly Budget by Vertex42. You just enter your information and it does all the work for you. I hate math, so me and this template became fast friends.

The blacked-out parts are my income. I just didn't feel comfortable broadcasting how much I make. It's odd enough for me tell people my expenses. I did get my first part-time paycheck the other day and my lifestyle is really taking a hit, especially because I'm determined not to touch the little I have in savings.

Details:
I don't have that many expenses, which is nice. My rent is pretty cheap at $480 (including Internet/Cable), but my car payment is high at 360.06. My insurance is $149 because I'm young and I got a ticket for "running a red light" (it was yellow!) a year ago on my way to catch a flight to New York from JAX. I used to pay about $65 a month on a cell phone, but my parents put me on their plan for Christmas last year. The $9 is for my Netflix account. I will change it to an exact number after my first billing cycle with their new rates.

I'm trying not to spend more than $60 a month on gas, which means limiting my out-of-town travel. My grocery budget is $150. I'm not sure how much I usually should be spending on groceries because I don't buy them often (I usually eat out), so I'm going to be a couponing fiend and try to only grocery shop at Wal-Mart (I know they're evil, but the budget demands low prices or starvation). That presents a gas problem since it's about a 20-minute drive from my house.

Next week, I'm thinking coupons. Any good coupon websites I should check out?

Friday Faves

I'd like to be lying in a hammock in the mountains right now as I watch the sunset. But I'm actually editing stories, writing stories and going through pitches for Feather. Oh, and working at my day job. It's actually a lot more fun than it sounds. I think I'll do some work outside of my house next week. My bed proves to be a huge distraction and tricks me into thinking I will do work on it, when I actually fall asleep within 15 minutes.

Yes, I blame the bed. Who else's fault could it be?

Awesome pun!

I can't wait for the new season of this show.

Truth.

Images found here, here, here, here.

You Know You Want Lanvin

Just a joke, of course.

I found that cute photo on Tumblr. But I've been drooling over the real ads for a while. They're actually stills from a video where they made the models dance to Pitbull's I Know You Want Me. The models definitely aren't the best dancers, but it has to be really hard model while doing choreography. The dance moves are actually from the game Dance Central (don't ask me how I know that). I love how Lanvin mixed some fun into their campaign. More brands should do the same.

Some of you may be thinking: didn't you post a video with models earlier this week? I guess I'm just obsessed with the idea of models having a good time at work. After watching a documentary entitled Picture Me, I probably just need to be persuaded their entire career isn't sad.

You can see some campaign photos after the jump.

Song Crush: Maybe I'm Crazy

I'm a huge lover of music covers. My favorites are rock covers of soul songs and vice versa. This Alice Russell cover of Crazy by Gnarls Barkley does really fit either of those categories, but it takes a more soulful approach to the song.

There's an actual performance video she did in a church, but it's so overdone that it ruins the song a bit for me. It should really just be about the emotion.

 

Where My Barbz At?

I had to post this adorable photo of Nicki taken during NYFW.

I don't think my love for Nicki or the fact that I covet Spirit Hoods (FYI: The Feather Fashion Director says they're cool people to work with.) will surprise anyone who reads this blog regularly. But how much I want that Barbie necklace is new information to you.


Image found here.

Strand Dreams

I never go to Strand when I'm in New York because my book addiction would require me to buy a new suitcase just to fit every new purchase. And the fees for the extra weight would be ridiculous.

We have a huge used book sale twice a year in the city where I live and it's only a month away! It got me to thinking about how broke I would be if I had a huge used bookstore at my disposal yearround. This afternoon, I actually found a book I bought at the sale about a year ago that had gotten lost in my bookcase and I realized how much worse it would be because I'd  have stacks of unread books all over my house.

Note to self: don't live in anywhere near Strand when you move to New York.

Images found here, here

Fishtail Braid: A Love Story

A fishtail braid seemed perfect for work today.

How to Wear Jeans

I love My Closet in Sketches. Her drawings have so much personality. This is possibly my favorite sketch of hers because it's really taught me something. It should be required reading for every girl who owns at least one pair of skinny jeans and a pair of shoes.

Empire State of Mind

I've been watching YouTube a lot lately. Basically, I'm becoming one of those people who shows you the funny video before it goes viral. Pretty soon, I'm sure I'll return to be the person who you can't believe saw the "Charlie bit me" video only after her mother showed it to her.

I didn't get this one from YouTube, though. I saw it on Jay-Z's Life + Times. It's a great site with awesome articles, like their profile on Floyd Mayweather, and lots of visual inspiration. I adore this cute video with models, including Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks, lip syncing to "Empire State of Mind."

Just another reason I miss New York. 

Harry Potter Quote Typography

In regards to Harry Potter, I'm currently somewhere between mourning the loss of my childhood after the last film and finally joining the Pottermore community. Yes, I haven't done the whole Pottermore thing yet, but that's because I've been busy and I know it will be a huge distraction. It's the same reason I don't sign up for games on Facebook.

Anyway, I saw this typography art on Tumblr and, after some digging (why can't people just give credit?!), I discovered they were created by Priscilla of The Readables. Her blog is really great and I love the way she vlogs book reviews.

Feather has started getting books in to review and we're looking for a books writer, so I think I've just got books on the brain right now.

Money Monday

I've been thinking a lot about my money lately. Two reasons:

• I just went from working full-time all summer to working part-time (3 days/wk) again.
• I want to go to graduate school next fall if I don't have a steady position by then, so I need to start figuring out how to save now because I really want to focus more on interning than working.

I bank with Wells Fargo (I was with Wachovia and they switched, so I had no choice) and they have this awesome Money Map feature that tells you how your money is being spent. I got some shocking results. I spent $452.64 on retail in July. In July and August, I spent a total of $360.27 on restaurants. The past couple of months, I've spent more, $708.22 total, than I've made. I don't even want to talk about how little I have in savings.

Why am I telling you this? Two other reasons:

• I want to discuss finances every week because I'm stepping my game up and I'll be learning a lot more about it. Welcome to Money Monday, guys!
• I hope the possible embarrassment of other people knowing that I suck with money will help me do better.

My next paycheck will be my first with only three days. After that I'll know how much money I'm earning every month and I can make a budget.

Long term, I need to start thinking about life insurance and one day I might have a mortgage. Practice makes perfect, so it's time to start practicing. 

Any tips on how to make the most of my money?

Fashion Envy: Lauren Bacall in "How to Marry a Millionaire"

When I have what Holly Golightly would call "the means reds," I watch How to Marry a Millionaire. Lauren Bacall look absolutely flawless in the film, especially the wedding scene. I also included some screenshots with Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe, who were also dressed to kill.