happy birthday to meee

November 17, 2018Outfit of the Day, StyleKristenComment

turtleneck. skirt. sweater. boots. perfume.

Hey hey hey! I hope you all had a lovely week. It was my 21st birthday on Wednesday! I feel very old, let’s not talk about it. Instead, let’s talk about the cute outfit I wore when I went out to dinner with my parents to a ~fancy restaurant~. This is one of my favorite looks lately! I wore it to HerCampus’ College Fashion Week (which was so fun I need to dedicate an entire post to it sometime soon). It doesn’t look it, but it’s actually really warm, so it’s perfect for dressier events when I don’t wanna freeze completely.

Call me Steve Jobs, my black turtleneck is my ride or die. I tucked it into my denim skirt and wore my black tights. I also wore my new grey sweater, aka the love of my life, which made things extra cozy and made the look juuust a bit more casual.

For College Fashion Week, I wore this look with my beautiful black heels, but when I went out to dinner I wore my tan Timberlands. I absolutely love this look with the heels, but I was tired and the tan boots looked cute too. Heels sometimes require effort that I just can’t give. Like I said with the sweater, the boots brought everything down a notch without killing the vibe.

Since I was getting ~fancy~, I actually did my makeup (I know I’m shocked too) and straightened my hair! I forget how much I love getting all dolled up until I get myself to do it.

What’s an outfit that makes you feel awesome? Let me know in the comments!

home sweet home

November 12, 2018Outfit of the Day, StyleKristenComment

shirt (gamma exclusive, sorry babes!). leggings. sneakers. sunglasses.

Hey babes! I still can’t believe that this is my last semester of school. It keeps hitting me at weird times, like at the end of my sorority’s Initiation, when I couldn’t say what I needed to because I was sobbing so hard. My sisters are absolute angels and gave me beautiful flowers and an amazing card, and I almost cried all my makeup off. I look so sad in all the pictures.

This is our Recruitment shirt from this past semester! Our theme was Gamma Brings You Home, which I loved because Gamma truly is my home. I wore this amazing shirt with my lighter leggings and white Converse to match the colors in my shirt. I also wore my gold heart-shaped glasses because I’m in love with my sorority.

Soon-to-be grads, what will you miss most about being a student? Let me know in the comments!

mid semester blues

November 10, 2018Outfit of the Day, StyleKristenComment

flannel (my dad’s, sorry!). leotard. leggings. sneakers. sunglasses. perfume.

Hey cutie patooties! It’s been a minute! I’ve been complaining a lot about how demanding my classes have been, but now that my last semester of New Member Education is over with (don’t let me think about it or I’ll cry again), I have more time to breathe, sleep, and blog! I’m so excited for all the fun things I have coming up for you all. Make sure you stay tuned so you don’t miss a beat!

As you all know, I love a good bodysuit. I wore my leotard with my lighter leggings for a trip to Target! This was back when I didn’t need a jacket. I miss the warmer weather already. Fall is my favorite season, but it got cold so quickly I feel like I got cheated! I wore this blue flannel that I very rarely wear. The color is so beautiful that the dark side of me gets intimidated. But I should definitely show it more love.

I wore my hair in a pony to get it the heck out of my face, and my classic black Converse. I also wore these really cool sunglasses from Spitfire! They’re edgy and different, which I’m always a fan of. I topped it all off with Royal Revolution, yet another superb scent from Fragrance Goddess Katy Perry.

What color(s) do you wear most? Let me know in the comments!

six things you should know about menstrual cups

October 25, 2018WellnessKristenComment

Hello, my loves! This is something I’ve been wanting to post for a while and never got around to. But I’m so excited to talk to you guys about all the benefits of using a menstrual cup! Before I started using one, everyone would rave about how amazing they were and swore that they would never go back to using tampons and pads. Now, I’m one of those people. I get so excited when people ask me about menstrual cups! To be honest, when I first heard of them, I thought they were so gross. I eventually learned more about them and decided that they were right for me. Read on if you’re on the fence about giving menstrual cups a try, or even if you’re just curious!

Menstrual cups are silicone cups that are inserted in the vagina, like a tampon, during someone’s menstrual cycle. Unlike tampons, which absorb your blood during your cycle, menstrual cups collect your blood. They should be emptied every twelve hours. I’m not a medical professional or expert on menstrual cups; this is all based off my personal experiences, talking to others, and online research! Be sure to click on the hyperlinks throughout this post for more information and sources.

Not All Are Created Equal

The Lena Cup was not the first menstrual cup I tried! I started out with the Diva Cup, which I liked, but it was a little too long for me. It may take a few tries before you find a menstrual cup that works for you and your body. I checked out this amazing, detailed chart of almost every menstrual cup on the market and their measurements before deciding to buy the Lena. I recommend consulting this chart if you’re looking to buy a menstrual cup for the first time, but you’ll definitely find it more helpful when you’ve already used one or some and have a better idea of what you need. The same website also has a quiz that recommends the best menstrual cup for you, that I just took now! I found it pretty fun because I love quizzes, and if I ever decide to switch cup brands I’ll definitely keep them in mind.

I’d also recommend asking friends who have tried menstrual cups about brands they’re a fan of, and reading reviews of different cups online. Reading Lena’s product reviews on Amazon was what really sealed the deal for me, and I haven’t been disappointed!

2. It’s a Little Gross, but Not for Long

When some people learn about the insertion and removal/emptying process with a menstrual cup, they’re understandably a little freaked out. Lena puts it nicely here, with some awesome diagrams that really help beginners. The way I see it, this is something my body does as naturally as sweating and peeing, and I shouldn’t really be afraid of something I’m producing. The blood you dump from your cup is the same blood that you’d see in a tampon or pad. Even if you’re squeamish, I’m sure you’ll get used to it.

3. You Get to Know Your Cycle

Another thing I really love about menstrual cups is how much I know my cycle now. When you wear tampons and pads, it’s hard to see exactly how much you’re bleeding, but the menstrual cup makes it very straight forward. If you’re bleeding more than usual, you can go to your gynecologist and figure things out as soon as you notice that there’s more blood in your cup.

One worry a lot of people seem to have about menstrual cups is that they won’t hold enough blood. The average person loses a bit more than 60mL of blood during their entire menstrual cycle, and most menstrual cups hold 30mL-50mL. Though you can wear the cups for up to twelve hours at a time (which I’ll get into later), you’ll eventually get used to how your body works with the cup and find an emptying schedule that works for you.

4. They’re Great if You’re Sensitive

Pads and tampons are made with a lot of synthetic stuff that you probably don’t want near your vagina. Most menstrual cups are made with a single material, usually silicone, that’s probably still synthetic, but less harmful for your body. My Lena cup is made of 100% medical-grade silicone that’s typically used for human implantation, aka, something that’s definitely safe to sit in your body for a bit. Lena also makes a Sensitive cup, which I have and love!

5. They Save You a Lot of Money

We all know that tampons and pads can get expensive, especially if you’re a heavy bleeder or have longer periods. While the initial price of a menstrual cup is a little steep, it’s nothing compared to how much money you’ll save on tampons and pads, in my opinion. I still keep them around in case of emergency, but it’s really nice knowing that if I’m wearing my menstrual cup in public and I need to empty it, I’m definitely covered with what I already have.

They also last for a nice amount of time. The shelf lives of all menstrual cups are different depending on the brand and how they’re used, but they usually last for about two to four years. Of course, you should be cleaning your cup whenever you empty it and giving it a deep clean in between cycles. Lena has another wonderful guide on cleaning here.

Additionally, since menstrual cups are reusable, you won’t be throwing out tampons and pads, and you’ll be helping the environment! We love a good environmental impact and an empty bathroom garbage can.

6. You Can Wear Them for Up to Twelve Hours

My favorite thing about menstrual cups is that you can wear them for up to twelve hours. Twelve! This is a big reason why my period has become so much less of a hassle since I switched to menstrual cups. I’ll usually put my cup in at 9:00am and I won’t have to worry about it until I get home at 9:00pm. I never have to empty it in public bathrooms, which I have done before and isn’t the worst thing, but why do that when you can time it as best as you can and be more comfortable in your own bathroom? You can even wear your cup to sleep!

As with anything you’re putting in your vagina (we’re looking at you, vagina crystals), there’s a risk for Toxic Shock Syndrome, or TSS, if you leave it in for too long. Symptoms for TSS, according to Lena’s website, include “sudden high fever, diarrhea, vomiting, sunburn-like rash, fainting or blacking out.” If you have any of these while you have your menstrual cup in, go straight to the hospital! If you’re forgetful, set alarms to remind yourself when to empty your cup.

If menstrual cups are intriguing to you but you’re not sold yet, consider giving SoftDiscs a try! They’re similar to menstrual cups in that they last for twelve hours, but they’re unfortunately not reusable. Also remember that there’s nothing wrong with using a tampon, pad, period underwear, or nothing at all. This is just my new favorite method, and I wanted to share it with you all! If you have any more questions about menstrual cups, you can Google your life away, speak to a medical professional, talk to friends who use menstrual cups, or slide into my DMs!

Let me know what brand of menstrual cup you use in the comments!

off-duty ballerina

October 8, 2018Outfit of the Day, StyleKristenComment

leotard. leggings. sweater (no clue, i’m so sorry). moccasins. perfume.

Hello, my beautiful readers! Once again, I’m very sorry for the lack of posting. I’m still getting used to my crazy workload and settling into my new apartment, which explains my new selfie surroundings! My camera is also currently malfunctioning, so you guys get some old-fashioned iPhone photos for a bit.

Here’s a look I wore a little while ago that I really loved. I felt like I was heading to a ballet class, and it made me really miss my dance days. I’m not sure if I’ve ever talked about it here, but dance was literally my entire life for about twelve years. I took dance as a class in high school, and I did Kickline and Cheer on and off until last year too. I really miss it :(

To be filed in the Things I Never Wear But Love When I Do folder, my leotard! I always talk about how much I love my bodysuits, so I’ve been trying to wear them more, but I haven’t taken this cutie out for a spin in a while. She’s a little ~cheeky~ because the leg holes (??? you know what I mean) are kinda high, so my hipbones peek out a bit over my lighter leggings.

It wouldn’t be a Clunkster bodysuit look without some form of outerwear. Of course, I went with one of my many grey sweaters. I absolutely love the silhouette of this lighter one. It’s so comfortable and looks great with the leotard and leggings. And, of course, it’s very ballerina-esque.

I wore my insanely comfy moccasins, which I also don’t wear enough. My feet have been killing me lately from walking all over the city in my Converse. I threw my hair in a bun in true prima ballerina fashion, left my face bare, and called it an extremely comfy day.

Do you dance? What kind do you do? Let me know in the comments!