We have all been through the night where you wake up in the morning and look at your phone utterly horrified by your digital behavior. Though there may not be a tiger in the bathroom and for your sake you’re a way better looking version of Zach Galifianakis you lay there in bed trying to piece together the fuzzy digital trail that you left on your phone. With every swipe of your thumb you swat your face in disappointment after every text, drunk tweet and bad picture sent to your internship fling back in New York – yep speaking from personal experience - no judgments please.
Author Archives: Lauren Pruner
About Lauren Pruner
As a bubbly, blonde blogger living as a New England transplant south of the Mason Dixon I have been having fun learning what it’s like to be a 20-something in the “Good Ol’ State of Texas.” I got my start as a PR Professional and love my job – but what I love more is sharing with readers how to balance it all - “whatever all is.” As Editor of my blog PRBlonde.com I have had a blast sharing my experiences with my readers and am so happy to be a contributor to TheOverAnalyst.net. Three interesting facts about me: I love for sports cars, cookies and 80’s music so if you plan on throwing a Madonna themed cookie party (with an Audi R8) – I’m your gal!If Women Dress For Women – Who do Men Dress For?
An age old debate. The topic of who we dress for has been discussed in the likes of Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, you name it –they said it. But no matter how many journalism degrees one has or how many crowns you are away from the royal throne of Wintour – somehow the debate is still on – and this one we may fight to the death. Move over Katniss – let the hunger games of fashion begin, I kid.
Betsey Johnson once said: “Girls do not dress for boys. They dress for themselves and, of course, each other. If girls dressed for boys they’d just walk around naked at all time.”
Body Profiles: Being a Woman Who Has it All Including Your Health
In the past month, I have managed to have been diagnosed with strep, a tonsil infection, upper respiratory infection and exhaustion. Trust me the last one came to a shock – I always thought this was a concoction of BS and PR from a good talent agent to get a C-Lister in the news. How many times have you heard that – “Mrs. Smith was diagnosed with exhaustion and taking to Cedar’s Sinai Medical Center.” Just when I said oh ya I remember her – I am the one that gets diagnosed with something you only see on the national enquirer grocery store rag.
Travel City Profile: Stockholm, Sweden
They are blonde, tan and make amazing candy. Not to mention they have one of the most gorgeous royal families and amazing music from the likes of Avicii and ABBA. Sweden is an amazing country under estimated for size and power but boy do these blonde bombshells who sound they sing and talk at the same time know how to throw a party.
Save Your Space – A Guide to Maximizing Your Own Humble Abode
It is the most wonderful time of the year! With roommates a fighting and everyone crying – get the hell out of here! Its apartment renewal time of the year! (Yes, sing it – it makes more sense then!)
It’s getting closer to summer, which means so many people who are on the après college leasing term are getting ready to renew or ship out. I have gone on a few apartment hunts with close friends and can’t tell you how thankful I am that I live on my own. The roommate horror stories are leaving many of my friends plotting the worst – sex in their bed, cleaning the bathroom with their toothbrush, Nair in shampoo… the list goes on! I can honestly say I was lucky enough to get out before things between a good friend/roommate and I got bad – one bad fight and we knew it was best to pursue our own living situations. I can tell you best plan ever – amazedly we’re still friends, most days.
So if you’re moving out on your own – something that was on my leap list and I highly encourage – living by yourself in your twenties isn’t something that is always kind to our designer wallets. Though we can probably cut back on spending in some other area’s of life… who we kidding – we would rather sell our liver than give up a good wardrobe.
When looking for a place there are always things to consider - #1 the apartment is never going to be what you expect. Even living in Texas where wide-open spaces should breed penthouses that would even kick a Trump’s ass, I still had to sacrifice a few things – space being one of them. So after some desperate searches for how to maximize floor space while making your own personal oasis I retreated to apartmenttherapy.com, a site most women are all too familiar with.
Recognize these space saving tips?
1. Believe In The Power of Storage
There is never enough space. There will never be enough space until your marry your Mr. Big and have him build you a closet that rivals Carrie’s 5th Avenue and based on the timeline that’s looking to be around age 40. So in the meantime where oodles of shoes are covering our closet floors – here’s a quick fix. Ikea makes great storage units and another plus they come in different heights! Store your shoes outside your already busting closet – and buy those deodorizer balls – they are shoes people – not all pairs smell like roses.
2. Sections – Bigger Isn’t Always Better
The best thing about a studio is that you can play with te space and maximize the area to serve you best. But if there is one thing that people do wrong – they slap a giant rug in the middle of a space. That can make a space feel smaller. Take two area rugs and place them in different parts of the space – one under your eating or living area, another under your bed. No one likes waking up to a cold floor.
3. The Swivel TV –
Plasma TV’s were the greatest inventions for studio apartments since the chinese screen and although it may seem fratty – I can’t think of any better option to save you from buying an ugly TV stand. Put the TV on a wall that’s going to serve not only your bedroom space but your living space as well. That way the wall that was going to be the center of your entertainment world can be spared for alternate storage units – or hey! a painting!
4. Ditch the Unecessary –
I live in a pretty spacious place, so even for me a coffee table seemed less than ideal. What do they do besides hold small remotes and a few magazines and a plant you may never water. Opt for the Ottoman option with a tray! A lot of Ottomans have storage inside – use that for all of your “what would be coffee table” materials and place a tray on top to hold your guilty pleasure weeklies
5. The New Wave Screens –
Gone are the days where Mrs. Chu’s designs adorn the apartment with Chinese screens. There are so many inventive ways to section off a space and who knows maybe get a little storage incorporated into the mix. If you have the space opt for a cubed wall – fill the spaces with some fun colored file baskets. If space is not permitting – colored curtains are always a great alternative to add some pizzaz to your space. Opt for a thinner fabric to keep light pouring in but a great color to tie in colors in your space!
How Do You Know When You Are Being a “Total Girl?”
Most of my posts come from personal inspiration and this weekend was overly abundant in one category. All of my girlfriends had seemingly come down with a case of the “cray cray” – including myself!
I can only hope that you are just like me and my friends, otherwise this post may not make sense; or there could be something wrong with you, in which case I may take comfort in that. Nevertheless, there comes a time when girls find “that guy.” The one that is Mr. Perfect for right now. This weekend it seemed to happen for all of us – even those of us with boyfriends suffered from the worst disease of “Over-Analysis Syndrome” leading to plenty of ‘analyses’ about those ‘analyses’ over mimosas at Sunday Brunch.
Common Gripes included:
The Whine: “I just don’t get why he wouldn’t text me – I mean we had a really fun time!”
The Regretter: “I just don’t know, I just don’t know, I don’t want to like him, I just don’t know.”
The Lost Identity: “I can’t believe I texted him! What was I thinking! Ugh I’ve turned into that needy girl. I’m a lawyer for Christ sake!”
The Oh Sh*t: “Him! I went home with him? He still burps in my face!”
The Princess: “Oh my GOD! I think I may have met the One – Does that sound crazy? Whatever, love is crazy.” [Insert ethereal smile here]
Picture this. Somehow after a night of consuming your poison of choice you’re not only convinced that he’s basically perfect but that you are going to spend a perfect night together. About 2 glasses of wine, a mixed drink and a tequila shot later thinking past 7 a.m. the next morning (aka. forever) just doesn’t seem possible. There may be cuddling, there may be kissing and who knows if you’re like a lot of girls you may just take it one step ‘too far’ on the first date/bar meeting etc.
All of this in its seeming perfection from the day before doesn’t not even compare to the Operation Desert Storm that whirls around in our head in the coming days after said “perfect evening.” This guy may be a 6 (sorry to disappoint boys but we rank you all too!) but after itemizing your “cray cray” checklist you convince yourself of the following:
- “Ya, I’d go on a date with him.”
- “If he got rid of habits 1, 2 and 3 – he’d be perfect.”
- “If he would just get his shit together – this could work.”
- “Whatever, I can do this for a few months and keep my options open.”
and so on…
Well if you are currently sober (yes, at this very moment!), 90% of what I just said in the above opening paragraphs seems totally psycho. This is the part where if this was a friend we would look at them and say, “Get a grip!” “If he calls, he calls.” “He may be around this weekend – so if he wants to get in touch with you, he will.” But for some reason the advice we give isn’t something we always practice. With the veil of ‘cute boy’ clouding our ‘oh so stable vision’ we become ‘TOTAL GIRLS!’ Endless thinkers and own worst enemies in any situation where we are still in that frame of mind.
The suffrage that comes with this disease that takes over our body is like that of a common cold - it isn’t in us and we will never admit that virus started inside our own bodies. Rather it was some spontaneous amoeba that came and left after some good antibiotics, or in this case, friends who are there to tell you when you’re being a “TOTAL GIRL!”
The best advice I can give is find that non-biased third party that will talk some friend sense into you. Not the harsh antics that will leave you living the life of an old cat lady. It does take two to foster a relationship after all. But as most girls know, it only takes one slip of the “Cray, Cray – Over-Analysis Sydrome – TOTAL GIRL!” state of mind to send Mr. Right now running for the hills. Who knows there may come a day where you can put on your big girl pants and ask him out, but until then maintain and perfect your mysterious luster.
Best of luck and good riddance to us all!
A Case of the Mean Reds: 5 Steps Out of Your Funk
A case of the mean reds – something that really struck home this week when a bunch of little things threw me into a downward spiral and I got stuck among the pity dwellers. We all know that we can’t be Audrey Hepburn sitting in a bleakly furnished apartment in New York City strumming Moon River on our ukulele’s while hanging on foot out of the fire escape.
Sometimes life just demands a bit too much from us. Rather we are left to deal with our feelings and emotions in non-Glee fashion we can’t break out in song to change it. I think some of the most prophetic words someone ever said to me were:
“If you don’t like the way things are all you have to do is change your mind.”
Prophetic words from a college professor afforded to me after several thousands in tuition later, which I probably could have found for free on Google – but nonetheless it stuck with me. So I found it appropriate on Friday the 13th of all days to offer up wisdom of 5 steps that can take you from the “mean reds” to the hot pinks and yellows of emotional bliss on a day that is usually left for the superstitious and scared:
1. Wine - Honestly I don’t really care what anyone says, sometimes a stiff drink is really what it is going to take! I know alcohol is a depressant after several glasses and all the jazz but truthfully after a long day where my motivation lacks getting my butt to the gym to get high on those “natural” endorphins sometimes you just have to open a good bottle. I find that a light sauvignon blanc or crisp chard will do the trick. No need to add reds to a mean case of them already – that’s just bad karma!
2. Running – After my aforementioned wine worshiping, you have to burn those calories somehow. Just being outside and running, will get the aggression out. For a single girl, when you don’t have time to work it out on someone, this is a healthy (and for his sake – maybe the right) alternative. Plus, thanks to the Canadians and their brilliant studies “Running Can Make You a Sex God.” My advice, get a good playlist going. Mine includes the soundtrack to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show – mash-ups and some killer British Rock Music and let be honest the motivation to run just a bit faster and a bit longer.
3. Good Friends – You have those friends that make going out epic. Others that can be good movie buddies and then you have those girls – your Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte’s of the world that no matter what color your mood are there for you every step of the way. Those are the ones to call. I have to admit I am not one to bug people with trivial problems but what I learned was that they are there for the trivial stuff – lean on them and tell them. I got some of the best advice from my circle this week and could not be more thankful to have such a strong family of friends.
4. Plan Ahead – After an amazing weekend in my favorite city in the world I had to face work, laundry, life drama and then the slow oncoming of my week of foul moods. Around Wednesday, literally the Marianas Trench of the mean reds, two ticks short of crying my friend reminded me of my weekend coming up. A weekend full of birthday parties, pool days and a photo shoot. I TOTALLY FORGOT! This was a mood changer and deal breaker for the better. Make sure to make plans with the people that bring you up the most, pull you out of your “funk and into the fabulous.” (That could totally be a Sex and The City line – and I stole it.)
5. Change Something – This is the biggie but you know it’s totally worth it because we have all been in those life funks where we just need a change – a new apt decoration, hairstyle, trip – something that isn’t just a new dress to make you feel good for a day or two. So tomorrow I am getting a haircut and color. I will of course stay blonde but it’s time for that summer blonde that will bring me into a new season and new look. Sometimes like Carrie, we need a new hairstyle to spring us forward, a new apartment to cleanse the bad and in my case a ticket for my next trip not sure where but I need the next milestone to look forward to.
So happy planning and changing – nothing can be more exciting than stepping out of your red’s and shining like gold! Got any other’s that work for you? Leave a comment and let me know! I am always open to new things…
Book Club: Fifty Shades of Grey (A Not For Public Must Read Novel)
So thanks to a friend of mine who has now become my book fairy – determining my iBooks choices one download at a time I recently began reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James.
Recently a contributor on the Today Show called it, “The read something every man should pick up” – learning how to navigate the guilty pleasures of his fantasizing woman in this glorified 2012 Danielle Steele-esque trashy beach novel.
They weren’t wrong – about 150 pages into the steamy read I decided the book would be a good way to pass the time on my three hour flight toNew York Cityfor Easter weekend. Let’s just say a very common four letter word appearing on a page multiple times in close proximity will absolutely have you cheating your iPad screen towards the wall of the plane.
Reading such a steamy page turner definitely found me feeling like I was doing something wrong in such close quarters. Like any minute now the eight year old after his PS2 dies pokes his head over the seat and just happens to be a little too advanced in his third grade reading only to ask mommy – “What does foreplay mean?” I was lucky enough to get a window seat and took the cue that also the 40 year old man next to me would probably not be able to read the equivalent of 8pt font as I quickly sped through the page turner all the way throughOklahoma,Missouri, and Cleveland.
Somewhere aroundAllentown, Anastasia Steele (great name!) was in full swing with Mr. Grey and many surfaces of Mr. Grey’s apartment were being tackled all Eyes-Wide-Shut. The poignant inner monologue of Ms. Steele adds a comical undertone to the book laughing at the most inappropriate page turning of moments – leaving me in a small close quartered plane giggling to myself while leaning towards the window like my middle seat neighbor was carrying a venereal disease.
The read nonetheless was a book I couldn’t put down and in all of the sick and twisted plot lines I have read – recently including The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson; Fifty Shades of Grey is worth the read and the indulgence.
Sidenote: I found it ironic that I felt the need to tackle this particular novel having to face my parents at baggage claim for Easter weekend – I think there may be one more “Hail Mary” in it for me this Sunday at church – but then again I’m only human.
Make sure to pick it up – Available for $9.99 on iBooks and read a synopsis of the book from the author’s site here.
Autonomous Living: A Single Girl’s Guide to Living on Her Own
In June I will be coming up on my one year mark of living on my own. One thing about Dallas is that the cost of living is extremely effective when you’re making next to nothing on a 50 hour work week – and for many sometimes longer. Although my trips to Neiman Marcus are now few and far between compared to my parent funded college days, my good friend reminded me today how lucky I was to be able to live on my own and call my own shots in my gorgeous apartment.
I am one lucky bitch. Living in Dallas has afforded me a lifestyle that guaranteed any other city would laugh at on my salary. But there are perks to living autonomously, without a roommate, in any city and you can bet I embrace every last one. So for all of you ladies with a similar goal, here are the top ten things to look forward to when you make it and break it all on your own:
- Shower singing. I prefer anything Whitney Houston and there is the occasional showing of some Wilson Phillip’s that makes it into my shower set rocking out to my speakers while holding some heat defense Dove Shampoo.
- Being completely content with a Friday night in. Honestly after a long week, sometimes all that is worth saving up for is a date with your DVR or on demand schedule; the lighting the way you want it and your favorite oversized t-shirt with some cookies on your couch. This was me last week and it was simply marvelous!
- Walking around naked. I know this is every school boy fantasy but let’s be honest with ourselves ladies - when no one is around and the blinds are down, there is nothing like getting things done completely naked right out of the shower. Really now. Let’s be real here…
- Decorating for you. It’s easy to convince yourself that the décor you and a roommate select is either budget savvy or mutually agreed upon that you have the same taste. Who would have guessed that you have the EXACT same taste. Though you may be lying to yourself and a roommate seeing as how she knows where you sleep, there is nothing like adding a little of your own personal flare that truly makes a space all about you and not restricting your personal style to a bedroom and a closet.
- The security. Knowing a phantom hook-up, boogey man or late night opening of your front door won’t occur unless it’s you doing the opening. This is something I covet as a single gal. I did the promiscuous roommate thing and not going to lie it’s fun to hear footsteps to bust her later for a late night encounter. But all in all I like knowing that sometimes when I go to bed it’s just me myself and my bear (ummm… no judgments please).
- You’re night out on the town routine. Living alone requires no competition for bathroom mirrors, hair dryer power and certainly playing DJ when maybe ABBA’s Dancing Queen is all that is going to get you in the mood to go out. It amazes me how playing DJ on a Friday after a long week at work can be a total determinant of a bar night versus dance night and you bet that living alone, you’re in full control.
- Experimenting in the kitchen. One thing I am learning to do is to cook. After investing in several cookbooks, I have been so eager to try cooking even if it is for one. Let’s just say if curry is in your future you will have no one to blame but yourself when your apartment smells of an NYC Gyro cart. I pray if you are at all like me you have a fully functioning fan and patio door to air out the Ashram-atic aromas if you decide that venturing to the Far East is worth the good eats.
- Entertaining. So I confess, one of my many reality TV pleasures garnered a Monday night viewing party where several of those nights were spent on the most amazing IKEA movie viewing couch ever with my closest friends. Hosting events is not only one of my favorite things but surrounding yourself with good food, good wine (crucial) and having friends over on a weekly basis are not something a roommate can always put up with.
- Boys, Boys, Boys. One thing about being in your apartment by yourself with your man is anything can happen. With long “movie” nights and great weekend mornings there is something to be said for having your private time with your “oh so special” someone and being able to call your own shots behind closed doors.
- Knowing that you made it. Though my dreams lie with living and working autonomously in NYC, there is a feeling of living and working on your own and supporting yourself that doesn’t hit you for a while. There is nothing like the thrill of knowing that making or breaking it lies solely with you and that the key to leading a full life is in the struggle of surviving all on your own.
So best of luck finding that autonomous living, though it may not ever be around the corner I hope you are inspired to find the personality in your life choices, living situations and goals even if it means some naked, curry cooking, on a Friday night when you have a date with your DVR’ed version of Desperate Housewives.
Image via She Knows Canada
Rocking the Red Carpet at SMU Fashion Week
One thing I know about the ladies at Southern Methodist University is their innate sense to take fashion to another level. Wearing the hottest looks of the season isn’t enough – trend setting is the end goal. This past Friday I attended SMU Fashion Week’s Retail Fashion Show – the piece de résistance of a perfectly crafted week highlighting the fashion industry for the SMU community. The committee led by Collegiate and Executive Director Grace Davis explored the many dimensions of the industry – with blogger panels, trunk shows and finally to the runway.
The SMU community known for its label bearing students impressed me greatly tailoring the fashions of the season to the livelihoods of its constituents. SMU’s fashion week was not about just showcasing the trends but applying the looks to notable happenings on campus and where to find them in local Dallas retail hotspots such as ‘The Shak’ at Stanley Korshak. The Shak carries designers such as Diane Von Furstenburg, Parker, Vince, Alice + Olivia, Helmut Lang, Mara Hoffman and many more.
The event was held at the notable Meadows School of the Arts – home to some of the top ranked creative programs in country. Starting fashionably late around 5:10 p.m. students gathered in the outdoor atrium complete with red carpet for a front row seat to watch friends and fellow classmates showcase their own attendee fashion statements at the scene. Notable attendees included professors; Dallas based bloggers and representatives of D Magazine, a sponsor of the week.
As the show got underway – we were serenaded by the dream boats of Southern Gentlemen with an all vocal mash-up of Stacey’s Mom and Jesse’s girl. The suave fraternity guys set the mood for the apropos appreciation of the SMU girls in all of their clothes and class. As student models started walking fellow on lookers caught my eye – SMU collegiate men nodding with appreciation and impressed by confidence of the fabulous women that rocked the runway.
Below are some of my favorite showcased trends from the event, see how the SMU Fashion Week Committee and SMU Retail Club set the tone for the most notable events that are known for bringing couture to campus:
“Heading to Class” – With the SMU quad perfectly landscaped students aren’t remiss of the manicured fashion that walks only the sidewalks while passing between classes.
“Boulevarding” – This all-campus pre-football game ritual takes tailgating to a glorified level with sundresses, heels and perfectly curled hair.
“A Night Out” – Bar hoping between local off campus favorites brings fashion into the evening hours with relaxed and glamourous looks.
“Formal Wear” – With more than 50 formals every academic year glitz and glam rock the dancefloor in the best party and cocktail dresses of the season.
As Mustang Alum – we get some flack for being the assumed sons and daughters of trust fund bred bank accounts. That aside these ladies put on one hell of show by bringing the latest and greatest of the New York runway to the students of SMU – a perfectly tailored week educating the fashionably savvy about how to apply couture in college. Many other universities such as Harvard and South Carolina have taken media measures to spot the latest trends on campus but the girls of SMU not only glorified what they do best but made sure to personalize their message to its top demographic at school with plenty of buying power.
Thank you to the SMU Fashion Week Committee for hosting a great event!
Go Mustangs!
