I Was Here-Inspired Outfit

What. a. week.  Friends, remember when I told you that I had gotten some poison ivy all over my face?  Well, I'm still not sure if it was poison ivy or something else, but that crazy inspection spread EVERYWHERE on my body.  It's 1 1/2 weeks later and I'm STILL on high dosage medicine and STILL trying to recover.  Yikes!  I think I'm reaching a turning point (thank goodness!)--just in time for school to start!

I want to share the outfit that I designed for Cody in Gayle Forman's I Was Here.  Man, what a powerful novel from Forman about depression, friendship, and recovery.  See my full review here.

Cody is a multi-dimensional character in this book; she's searching for answers of her friend Meg's death while also trying to understand who she is herself.  This becomes a literal journey as she travels to Meg's college town to piece together the puzzle of her death.  This outfit took on those deep layers and even gives off a feeling of searching.  Here's what it looks like:

Let's break it down:

• Cody grew up a bit beneath Meg's family's socioeconomic status, so this outfit needed to be a bit muted in color (especially since it also represents Cody's grieving).  I thought the distressed jeans (which I'm super obsessed with!) represented Cody's status well.
• The "Single with Cats" tank toys with the character cats that Meg surprisingly left behind.  This would've been Cody's subtle way of handling the secrets she's discovering.
• The comfy cardigan sweater is soft in color and comfortable for travel.
• The gray boots keep the outfit from being too soft and sweet.  Cody has her guard up as she travels and these boots give off that no-nonsense attitude.
• I think Cody would've noticed "M" monogram pieces now that she is without Meg.  A necklace like the one above is a way to remember Meg without going over-the-top.

What do you think?  Do you see Cody wearing something like this?  

Check out all the details of the outfit here.

Tomorrow I'm bringing you my July favorites!  Some FUN things that I've been loving this month!

REVIEW: I Was Here

What a weekend!  It started with the MOST BEAUTIFUL wedding of some friends of ours.  Beautiful because of the decorations, sure, but mostly because of the bride and groom.  We love these two and consider them such close friends.  Can't wait to hang out now as married friends!  (I cried through their ceremony's procession. I didn't even cry at my own wedding!

And then the weekend took a crazy dramatic turn...I think I got some poison ivy on my chin that spread over my entire face Sunday morning.  We're talking one eye practically puffed up so much that it wanted to close, major itching...bleh.  Thank goodness for MedChecks open on weekends!

Today I'm reviewing I Was Here by Gayle Forman.  I LOVE Gayle Forman--her books If I Stay and Just One Day are some of my favorite romance/realistic books.  I become so drawn into her characters and story lines.  So let's jump into this one!

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction

The Gist:

Cody and Meg were best friends; in fact, Meg's family practically helped raise Cody.  So when Meg commits suicide during her freshman year of college, Cody is shocked and devastated.  When Cody goes to Meg's college house to collect her things, she learns that Meg was hiding a lot...and that someone may have helped her with her death.

What I Loved:

• The characters.  Like I said, I love Gayle Forman's characters, and these characters are so real.  I can picture them all--relationships aren't perfect and people often show their true colors.  And those features are definitely a part of this book.
• Bradford especially was SO real.  His scene may not have had a climactic ending, but I can totally see him as a real person.
• This book is a true look at grief, especially an unexpected death.  Well-done in portraying the characters' various reactions.
• Cody's eventual revelation of her mother, Tricia, was nicely done.

What I Didn't Love:

• In one scene, Cody fearfully asks permission from a homeowner to use their WiFi while cleaning their home, and the homeowner seems a little disturbed by it.  I don't find this too realistic--no one really cares if you use their WiFi, even if you're "at work."

My favorite quote:

"Alice..returns with a cup of coffee for me, which she announces is free-range and fair-trade and shade-farmed in Malawi, and I nod along as if my coffee needs to go beyond hot and caffeinated."

I just loved this book--yes, it's about suicide and grief but it was so well-written that I found myself reading it so quickly.  An easy five stars for me!

An outfit based on Cody coming up!