The Lovely Side

So Tuesday night a girlfriend and I went out to a Japanese Steakhouse for sushi and martini night. I've just recently discovered my fondness for sushi. (Who knew?!) But my friend introduced me to something that I now can't get enough of.

Edamame!

Edamame is basically immature soybeans still in the pod. The pods are boiled and salted. You squeeze the pod and the tasty little bean pops into your mouth. It's heaven.

After eating edamame as our appetizer before sushi, I was completely addicted. But where would I get edamame? My friend had searched the various grocery stores in town to no avail. I woke up this morning with an insatiable craving for more edamame. So I decided to hit up the Asian Food Markets in my town. The first one was a win.

The edamame comes frozen in a bag---and only $1.50 per bag!! I was so excited that I couldn't stop smiling at the Asian cashier who probably wondered what the crazy American girl was so happy about. Then I hurried home to mak…

AJH Cate Greenland - Halloween Costume! by Fade To Black featuring a print dress Cute as a button as Minni Mouse!
Polka-dot dress, pink pumps, pink belt, big pink
bow, and black mouse ears a necessity.


Ella: Halloween by gr8scottmarty featuring a bra dress Gotta catch 'em all!
Yellow dress, yellow sneakers, Pikachu ears,
rosy red cheeks, and red jewelry.


What a Doll by c0lekristine featuring hoop earrings Get all dolled up by going out as Barbie!
Pink everything and a blond wig. :)


Halloween Costume! by Peter&wendy featuring a sheer blouse Easy to pull together and always a crowd-pleaser.
High-waisted bell bottoms, hippie blouse,
cute sandals, peace-sign jewelry, braided hair.

If you haven't noticed, there's a new poll over in the right-hand menu beneath the Fall Giveaway section. In the spirit of Halloween, Lovely Undergrad wants to know what kind of costume you'll be flaunting this Halloween.

Will it be something scary and spooky... like a witch or ghoul?
Something cute, fun, and easy to diy... like a pirate or cheerleader?
Something sexy and naughty... like the classic school girl or police officer?
Something pretty and girly... like a princess or ballerina?
Something weird and a little nerdy... like a Harry Potter character?
...Or are you still trying to figure it out?

Leave your costume ideas here in a comment... but be sure to take part in the poll, too!

First of all, I'm so-soo-sooo sorry that this winner announcement is delayed. :( Midterms and sickness has definitely kicked my butt this past week... thank goodness I had all those Halloween posts scheduled for publishing or this blog would have been a lonely place.

Now... for the winner. (Drum roll, please.)

Kayla!

Kayla said that she "fell in love at first sight with the Perfect Peplum Jacket in Deep Plum!"

Congrats, Kayla! I'll be contacting you via e-mail with ordering instructions and such.

Everyone else---thanks for entering and stay tuned for more giveaways!

Halloween Costume - Venus, Goddess of Love by imonfirex727 featuring bride dresses Grecian goddesses are always gorgeous.
Flowy white dress, gladiator sandals, gold jewelry.


halloween costume [= by Bσυиcєxσx™ featuring a cotton vest Go out as your favorite rhyming trouble-maker.
Black leggings, white tee, black cardigan, black boots,
red bow-tie, Dr. Suess hat, nose & whiskers.


35/5O - Halloween Costume by »»♪♫.AlyssaAtomic featuring nautical jewelry To sea, to sea!
Sailor dress, white tights, nautical shoes and accessories.


Halloween costume idea #1 Superheroes by Tess.oh.la.la featuring a red skirt Add glam to Super Man.
Red mini skirt, Super Man tee, gold belt and shoes.


Pocahontas by Miss.Golightly featuring oasis shoes Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Brown embroidered tunic, moccasins, Native American jewelry.

spongebob~ costume by guardygirl42 featuring crew shoes Spongebob Squarepants!
Khaki skirt, yellow shirt over white polo, red tie,
striped long socks, black heels. So fun and cute!


Halloween Costume Contest by {tictac}♥ featuring 3 4 sleeve tops A great idea if you wanna coordinate with your bestie!
Red pants, red & white striped shirt with Thing 1 &
Thing 2 written on it, chucks, wild blue wigs.


[52] Cuz its your time...Time to fly by Colored Girl featuring leggings tights Simple and so very pretty.
Pink dress, black tights, ballet flats, pretty jewelry.



COSTUME FUN!!! by RluvsG featuring leiber handbags Fringe dress, vintage inspired black heels, gloves,
pearls, stockings, bob haircut strongly suggested.


Cute Nerd Halloween Costume by Polyvore Tips (: featuring gold earrings Be the cutest nerd on the block.
Denim skirt, cardigan, knitted vest, mary-jane flats, glasses.

The Librarian by Counterlines featuring a knit cardigan Gotta love the naughty librarian look. ;)
Tweed skirt, cardigan, high-heeled oxfords,
fancy-schmancy glasses, pencil in hair.



halloween costume by vivalaholly featuring converse shoes Stand out at a party by blending in.
Blue jeans, red & white striped tank, chucks,
red & white striped hat, big black glasses.


Pirata by mayara! featuring lace up boots Hoist the jolly roger this Hallow's Eve!
Frilly dress, wide leather belt, lots of jewelry,
knee-high black boots, and a tri-corn hat.


Smurfette Costume by meganashley featuring white pumps Smurfette = absolutely adorable!
White dress, blue tights and long-sleeve shirt,
white shoes, blonde wig, blue make-up and nails.



Wizard of Oz Costume by maggie * featuring cotton socks You'll be off to see the wizard in this get-up!
Blue & white gingham skirt, white top, red shoes,
pigtails, toto dog optional.

halloween costumes 2 by bpaula featuring white jewelry What's more glamorous than dressing up as Marilyn Monroe?
White dress, white heels, blonde wig, red lipstick & nails.


Pippie Longstockings by Faithfashion! featuring vintage handbags I loved Pippi Longstocking back in the day!
Blue skirt, red & white striped tee, pigtails, boots.



Halloween Costume by je te'aime(e) featuring shoes pumps Sexy school-teacher, anyone?
Sky-high heels, knee-high socks, curve-hugging pencil
skirt, glasses, cardigan, pencil in hair, ruler in hand.



Happy Halloween! by But does NY ♥ you? featuring vintage sunglasses Be one of the Scooby-Doo gang!
Red skirt, orange turtleneck, orange socks,
red mary-janes, big black glasses.



lisa simpson by Lizzie *dn_nb* featuring pearl jewelry Lisa was always my favorite Simpson. :)
Red dress, pearl necklace, saxophone.

If you haven't entered either of the giveaways, you're missing out! Enter the Fall Decor Giveaway to win a gift certificate good at any CSN online store. And enter the DownEast Basics Giveaway to win a new arrival.

In the spirit of gorgeous autumn hair, I decided to list some of my latest favorite hair products. This fall, it's all about letting your hair down. And I'm all about the free-flowing waves because it's easy-to-style and easy-on-the-eyes.

1. Sebastian Professionals Taming Elixir. At about $15 a pop, this stuff is a little on the pricey end, especially since it's not a very big bottle. But one squirt of this stuff goes a long way, so I'd say it's definitely worth the money. Basically... it's duty is to tame your frizz. Squirt a drop or two into your palm, rub your palms together, and work through your damp hair. You end up with touchably soft hair, light definition, and frizz control. The best part: this stuff does NOT leave a heavy product feel.

2. Sebastian Professionals Whipped Cream. Running around $18, this mousse is the most expensive but definitely an essential in my hair arsenal. First of all, the name says it all. Yum! This whip is lightweig…

Gray is really giving my favorite color (turquoise) a run for its money. I just find myself really attracted to all shades of gray---especially soft heather and warm charcoal. Gray is just so versatile. It can be flexible and classic like black, but not so heavy. It can be cool and fresh like white, but not so harsh. Gray has a versatility with other colors that some neutrals do not. When paired with navy, it can be classy and masculine. When paired with pink, it is romantic and oh-so-feminine. With red it's sexy in a smart kind of way, with turquoise it's trendy and bold, with purple it exudes mystery. And when paired with yellow, it is like sunlight poking through clouds on a dreary day.

Gray has been rising to "it color" status for some time now. It's a popular shade to throw on your walls. It's a perfect compliment to other colors and patterns when used in window treatments, bed sheets, furniture, and accessories. OPI's You Don't Know J…

(images via: DownEast Basics Early Fall 2010 Catalog)

Love Anthropologie style? Love Target prices? Ever heard of DownEast Basics? DownEast Basics is an online boutique that offers the latest fashions while remaining within the lovely undergrad's budget. You love it already, right? :)

First of all, I want to gush about the clothing I received from DownEast Basics. I'm a sucker for cardigans. Why? Because they cute, classy, and endlessly versatile. So I picked DownEast Basics' Infatuation Cardigan in "chateau grey." (I love when boutiques give their clothes such lovely product and color names.) Anyway, I now have a new favorite cardigan. The Infatuation Cardigan is a deep v-neck, longer-style cardigan---much like the beloved boyfriend cardigan. However, pretty ruffle detailing around the buttons give it a feminine feel. And the soft gray color is perfect. This is definitely going to be one of my go-to wardrobe pieces.

(above: my new favorite cardigan)

Go browse t…

cjpowell8356 submitted photos of her dorm to the Lovely Undergrad Flickr group. How you decorate your dorm room is basically an extension of you. Your decor is one way of expressing yourself. So I love that this dorm-dweller has so many personal touches throughout the space.



First of all, props to cjpowell for the Pink Floyd poster. I'm also loving the the pretty quilt on the bed, the beautiful dream catcher (I want one!), and the floral pillow.



Also, she displays wall art in one of my favorite ways---clip boards!! With clip boards you can have an ever-changing display of your favorite pictures, magazine clippings, post-cards, etc. Genius. I'm pretty sure she diy'ed that peace sign mirror, too. :)

The photos in this post belong to cjpowell8356. Thanks for the pics!!

brane_01 submitted photos of her dorm room to the Lovely Undergrad Flickr group. Her dorm is really cozy and comfy, plus she added several diy touches.

Crafty touch #1: mosaic wall decor.

Her desk is tucked away under a lofted bed. This not only makes for a secluded place to study, but also saves on floor space.

Crafty touch #2: plates on the wall. Also, I like that she propped her full length mirror up on a simple end table. Sometimes students aren't allowed to use nails to hang things on the walls or door. Leaning a mirror up against the wall doesn't always work because you don't get the proper height in such a small space---so this is a nifty trick I'm gonna borrow for my place. ;)

Christmas lights---always a dorm staple. :) Doesn't it seem like the dorm rooms with the Christmas lights are always "thee places to hang out"?

DIY touch #3: How she made the window decor:
"This is just some scrap book paper that I got from my arts and crafts store (Mi…