meredith's autumn wishlist

01. oxblood everything - right now i'm really craving some oxblood skinnies. perfect with a black long sleeve vneck, faux fur vest & litas - ah, i can see it now.

02. statement fuschia - i've always loved this color, but its especially beautiful against blacks and other neutrals in the form of a bag or shoe. kate spade totally nails this color in her bags & shoes.

03. leopard print loafers - these are perfect for work or a casual day outfit, and they also look fantastic against oxblood! this pair from nine west looks super comfy and versatile.

on wanderlust

it hit me like a brick to the face this morning. all of the sudden, i felt it.

i felt what i felt years ago - the wanderlust. for a while the dull ache was satiated with my spring break roadtrip to las vegas. but now, its back, and i finally think i understand it and what it means.

 my trip to the grand canyon in march

i've always had wanderlust. maybe it comes with the territory when you grow up in a small alabama town and roam the same state for 23 years - I-65, I-10, highway 98 and back again. i was never satisfied with going to college in mobile and then moving back across the bay to see everyone i went to highschool with at target twice a week.

tuscaloosa was the baby step, the bandaid. for the first time in my life, i was not near the coast. i learned how to have a love affair, not with a person, but a place; cliched college bars, full houndstooth body suits on gameday, the trains rattling my furniture at night, the fact that tuscaloosa is slowly, but surely, sinking into the black warrior river. tuscaloosa was a kind to me.

and now here i am. i've graduated. my love affair with tuscaloosa resulted in an inevitable bittersweet goodbye. moving to birmingham for work was another adventure in itself. i've only just begun to explore this town and i'm loving it so far. but while i am enjoying settling into another alabama city, i am already peering ahead and trying not to limit myself.

 hiking in cheaha in 2011

looking back on the years since i've graduated highschool, it makes sense for me to reach this understanding at this particular moment in my life. in the safety of fairhope and tuscaloosa, i've spent a lot of time dating guys, trying to find "the one", trying to plan my life on a calendar and cycle through an endless rotation of "five year plans". come on, we all make them. but why? at 22 (almost 23) i am asking myself why i am trying, so desperately, to make it all work according to plan. my heart wants something different.

i don't know where i want to go, because i want to go everywhere. settling on specific places will be the hardest battle. whether its a weekend getaway or my next living quarters doesn't matter to me, i just want to go.

my plan, it seems, is that i shouldn't make one.

review: revlon colorstay foundation

i used to dread the thought of wearing liquid foundation daily. too thick, too heavy, just too much. for many years i was devoted to mac's mineralized skin finish natural. while its a great product, the price tag was becoming a burden. i searched for a drugstore alternative, and somehow ended up looking at things in the liquid category.

once i find something that works foundation wise, i stick with it. i don't like switching it up. i've been using revlon's colorstay for about a year now, and i've totally changed my mind on liquid foundations. if you're scared to use liquid and want something lightweight, give this a shot!

i wear shade 220, natural beige. mac's 187 is my absolute favorite foundation brush - first i stipple it on, then blend it out. and while a liquid foundation does require more frequent brush washing, this particular foundation gives such great results that i don't mind a bit.

price: at target, i paid $9.99. i've seen it both cheaper and more expensive at other drugstores.

package: nothing to complain about here. but it would be nice if it had a pump that came with it.

application/results: this foundation applies beautifully and quickly with my mac 187. it doesn't dry too fast, and a little goes a long way. i'd rank it at about a medium coverage, but its definitely buildable depending on your preferences. my favorite thing about this foundation is the fact that it isn't heavy, doesn't clog my pores and lasts all day, even without setting powder. as someone with oily skin, i appreciate the product being specified as a "oily skin formula", but i've found that i still have to blot after 6-8 hours. however, the coverage holds up great.

the bottom line: i've used colorstay for as long as i have because it feels great on my skin, is simple to apply, doesn't break me out and provides just the right amount of coverage for everyday. and until i find something better for the price, this is what i'll use for years to come!

current obsessions {volume 1}

01. these trendy sunglasses from amazon. i got both black & tortoise shell and have been loving them - they go with everything! and for the price, they're sturdier than you'd think. i'm not a fan of expensive sunglasses; i always break or lose them at some point, so stocking up on cheap pairs is the way to go.

02. pointed heels! i used to hate these, and now i can't get enough. i want a pair in every color! these heels are from gojane & are a great price. i'm also lusting after the j. crew factory emery flats - too perfect for work and great for fall.

03. this handy reusable cup from starbucks - only $1! total lifesaver. most stores have been carrying these lately and i didn't pick one up until last week because i thought they might not be too durable. turns out these will do just fine instead of a $20 ceramic mug.

photo diary: labor day & early september

summer's end + labor day weekend have come and gone quickly, but i've had a great time the past couple of weeks. its no secret that summer isn't my favorite season - the alabama heat is exhausting, and all my favorite clothes are scarves and jackets.

i got two things last week that pretty much made my week - some beautiful roses delivered to my doorstep courtesy of corey, and my starbucks goldcard finally came in the mail! on august 27th i went to the backstreet boys concert in tuscaloosa & it was everything my childhood dreams hoped it would be, aka uhmazing. labor day weekend was spent in gulf shores with corey and family on the beach and at the wharf. i'm really looking forward to getting a few weeks to tie up some odds & ends and spend time in birmingham. its been go go go for months now. if it were possible to just wrap up in a sweater and hibernate, i might do it. with a pumpkin spice latte.