The Lovely Side

Last Saturday, my roomie and I ventured off to the cinema to see Eat Pray Love. Both of us really, really enjoyed it. I mean, we enjoyed it more than I can really find the words to say. We were both so moved and amazed---it inspired such a great conversation on the drive home and when we sat down in our apartment. Here are the top 10 reasons I enjoyed Eat Pray Love:

1. James Franco. To be utterly honest, I must admit that James Franco is pretty much the sole purpose I went to this movie. I know nothing about the book. I know nothing about the author. I really knew nothing about the movie except that Mr. Franco was in it. I openly confess that James Franco makes me swoon. And swoon is exactly what I did as soon as he appeared on screen. I covet Julia Roberts for her moments in bed with my celebrity crush! :P

2. Italy. I've always been captivated by Italy and a whole fourth of this movie was bursting with everything Italian---the sensual language, awe-inspiring architectur…

(image via: here.)

Sooo... today I logged on and saw that Lovely Undergrad now has 200+ lovely followers. I just want to let all of you (whether you follow via Blogger, GoogleReader, Facebook, or just stop by on occasion) that I tremendously appreciate your readership and comments. This blog began as a little past-time and has grown into a passion. Please continue to stop by, leave comments, and send any feedback/questions/comments to [email protected]. Thank you soooo much!!

XOXO to you all!

(image via: here.)

Are you a Freshman stressed out about looking lost, awkward, or barely old enough to be on campus? Here are some quick, easy tips for you:

1. Ditch the high school garb. Nobody cares that you played for the such-and-such high school tennis team or sang for the so-and-so senior high choir. You're in college now and you're all part of one big school. So leave the high school spirit tees behind, or if you must bring them along... use them as sleepwear only.
2. Easy does it on the school spirit. Yes, you're totally psyched about being a college student. Yes, you've scored three free school t-shirts in one day. Yes, everyone else is wearing their university attire, too. But have some restraint and don't wear it all at once or all during the first week. Better yet, save it for the first football game or something.

3. Go to class in style. You may have this idea that college students loaf off to class in sweatpants or even pjs. Please refrain f…

I'm a sucker for Victoria's Secret fragrance products---especially the Secret Garden collection. My favorite is, always has been, and (I'm pretty sure) always will be the Strawberries & Champagne scent... it smells delicious! The whole collection exudes yummy luxury. The only one I'm not crazy about is Love Spell... only because it was all the rage when I was in high school, which made me kind of sick of smelling it on every girl that passed in the hallway. I can still recognize it when a nearby girl is wearing it.

Besides Strawberries & Champagne, I'm a big fan of the Vanilla Lace. I also picked up Secret Charm and Pure Seduction today and can't decide which one I love more!!

I know that many are divided on whether VS fragrant products smell good or are just too strong. I personally like them. They are strong and I keep that in mind---I don't slather myself in it. ;) They all smell delicious, feel great on my skin, and give off some luxury.

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Hello lovelies,

I promise I have not forgotten about you or this blog! I arrived in Ames on Sunday and got all moved in. On Monday I grocery-shopped, organized/decorated my room, and got a tour/orientation of the department store where I'll be working. Later in the evening, I did some hardcore cleaning of the bathroom and kitchen. (It's not that the place was dirty... I just like to clean everything myself when I move into somewhere new.) On Tuesday my roomie and I dodged the rain to hit up Hobby Lobby, Target, and the mall---I got a super-cute dress. :) And Wednesday (yesterday) I was able to see my handsome boyfriend for a bit and help him move some stuff into his apartment. Last night I also worked my first shift. Today I've been on campus: getting a new ID card, purchasing the latest issue of Real Simple, and attempting to find some reliable internet access. (The wireless connections have been screwy lately...)

Sooo... I will have pictures up of my apartment soo…

(image via: here.)
An unmade bed walks the thin line between messy and romantic. One of my favorite messy but utterly romantic beds is the glimpse of Cecilia and Robbie's bed in the film Atonement.

Here are some other beds that are messy but lovely:

(image via: Matt E L)

(image via: khintonslash)

(image via: cassie lynn)

(image via: lizrary)

What do you think about unmade beds? Is it just too messy looking for you? Or the next time your mom scolds you for an unmade bed, will you insist that you're making a romantic decor statement?

Treacle is a 25 year old knickers junkie who started writing because her friends threatened to tape her mouth shut if she didn’t stop talking about her underwear. She welcomes lingerie lovers of every nation and persuasion to her blog, The Lingerie Addict.
No matter your age, bras are a necessary part of every woman’s wardrobe. Simply put, your clothes won’t look their best without the right undergarments. But there’s not really enough space in a dorm room for a designer lingerie wardrobe, and I probably don’t have to tell you that the life of a busy undergrad is a bit different from everyone else’s. So, with that in mind, what are the 5 essential bras that every fashionable college girl must have? Here’s exactly you need, direct from The Lingerie Addict!
1)Sports Bra—Why start off with the sports bra? Because staying fit and healthy is one of the most important things you do while in college. Exercising does more than help you avoid the dreaded “Freshman 15,” it sets good lif…

Rachel Ashwell's shabby chic decor:



Cath Kidston's pretty florals:


Sarah Winslow's elegant apartment:

And Ben Brougham's eclectic collections:



Those were my favorites in the August/September 2010 issue of Lonny, a beautiful online decor magazine. Click here to view Lonny.

I am head-over-heels for this dorm room make-over that I came across. It's definitely one of the most creative, most colorful, and most lovely dorms I've ever seen. The color palette is a refreshing mix of pale yellow, warm beige, and eye-popping reddish coral. It blends patterns and textures in an effortless fashion. And the vintage accents make it utterly irresistible to me.

So here (above) is the dorm before. It's your typical dorm room. Cold tile floors. Cinder-block walls reminiscent of a prison cell. Harsh lighting. Bland furniture. ...But try to imagine it as a blank canvas.

I have a thing for birdcages... so this little art/photo display is right up my alley. By attaching photographs and postcards with clothes pins, they're easy to take down and replace.

The desk space is fantastic because it is organized, functional, and still inspiring. Decorative touches are given the upper shelf while necessary items like textbooks and school supplies are given th…

Sherry of Young House Love has smartly designed an office/guest-room/play-room. I wanted to share it hear on Lovely Undergrad because as college students, our dorms and apartments also need to be multi-functioning spaces. A dorm room has to serve as a place to sleep, study, eat, relax, and hang out. And small apartments (such as efficiencies) often fall into the same category.

The bed in the room is a pull-out sofa bed. If I could have had one of these in my dorm last fall, I definitely would have. Forget the old legend that sofa beds are notoriously uncomfortable. Today's sofa beds combine function, aesthetic appeal, and comfort. As a sofa, you have a nice place to curl up and study or for friends to gather on weekend nights. As a bed, you have an plush headboard. Sofa beds make it possible to transform your dorm or efficiency apartment from living room to bedroom in a matter of minutes.

The desk in this multi-tasking space is kept clean and clutter-free by collecting not…

(images via: Young House Love)

Young House Love is one of my favorite blogs---it's full of such ingenious decor solutions. I really like this recent diy project: cork boxes. They're super easy to make and can be left as exposed cork or covered up with pretty fabric. I'm planning on making at least one of these for my apartment this fall.

Head on over to Young House Love for the instructions.