...Why?

Do you ever have those moments when you come across someone and think to yourself, "I will never be as cool as you"? (Spencer, I'm basically talking to you). Well, I have them ALL THE TIME. It's called art school, people.

Today, I had one of those moments.

One of my favorite stores, Zara, and the amazingly stylish online institution that is The Selby, teamed up to showcase some of Zara's new fall pieces while following around English artist, Lucy Chadwick as she discusses her life and her home(s) in New York.

To quote Frances Russell, this makes me homesick for my future. I mean, let me break it down for you:

Cool job.
Cool hair.
Cool glasses.
Cool house.
Cool other house.
Cool produce from cool open market from which she probably makes her cool but deliciously healthy cool meals.

My only small critique would have to be that I would just prefer my significant other to have less hair. But, hey, that's just me.




In other news, it has been a glorious week since coming home. So far, I have woken up smiling every morning (and afternoon-- post nap) thankful to be from such a beautiful place surrounded by such beautiful people. Speeeaking of thankfulness, let me tell ya-- get excited for a Patton Family Thanksgiving Day Video coming your way.

And boy do I mean get ready because it's going to blow your socks off.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I love Thanksgiving. It sort of forces me to put on my rose colored glasses of gratitude. The days leading up and especially the actual day has me in the mindset that makes me realize that I have nothing to complain about in my life. Nope. Nothing.

This morning, I woke up, fumbled around for those rosy glasses on my nightstand and after I slid them on... Oh, lookey there! My whole room looks different! I've only been awake for 14 minutes, but already there is so much I've seen.

I'm thankful for this bed. It's warm, and safe, and comfortable.
I'm thankful for these legs that allow me to get up every morning and greet my family in the living room.
I'm thankful for good plumbing. And working pipes. Good showers and working toilets are not something to be scoffed at.
I'm thankful for laughter. For example, I walked out the living room this morning and saw my dad wearing plaid shorts. And I laughed.
I'm thankful for technology that allows me to wish friends and family that are far away a happy Thanksgiving.
I am thankful for the music that is coming out of my computer. It just makes things brighter.
I am thankful for my mom's car that is going to take us out to the desert in a couple of hours to celebrate this holiday with family who I love.
I am thankful for stretchy pants.

I mean, gee whiz, guys. See what I mean? Those are only the things I've noticed since I woke up this morning! Can you imagine the thankfulness possibilities that could reveal themselves if I wore these glasses all the time?!

Anyway, I've got to go get ready for the big T-Day.

See you in a little bit, Grandma!

I mean, come on now.

I hardly ever talk about my love life on this blog because, let's be honest, nobody wants  to read about a single college gal's desperate search for love as she navigates the mysteries of life on her own in the big city. You don't want to read that and I really don't want to write about it either.

But I will say, since we're all friends here, that I would absolutely love to have a boyfriend one of these days.

Is that too much to ask?

It is?

Ok, ok-- then what about just like a crush? Or a semi-flirty texting relationship? No? Fine. What about just a dancing partner?! Heck, I'd even settle for a honk o' the horn as I walk across the street in a particularly flattering outfit.

But alas, it remains: Julia Patton. Table for One. Le sigh.

That's all I'll say on the matter.

*this post in no way is begging for pity. 

California, California, California!!!

Today is finally the dayyyy!!! I am flying home to good ol So Cal.

I can't wait to see Newport and everything/everyone that goes with it.

Lalalalaaa. I'm so excited. I'll see you all very soon!

Mobile Uploads: Finals Week Edition

Ok, I am about to pull of the fastest blog post ever. I am sitting on Frances Russell's comfy bed here in Dallas and my computer battery has 9 minutes left. But I really wanted to blog. And share with you some delightful pics from our last week of class, but I've got to work quick.

I am going to chronologically take you through the last week of classes according to the pictures on my phone. This will soon be followed by a Mobile Uploads: Road Trip Edition and then a Mobile Uploads: Dallas Edition. Ok, go.

Finals week is really all about the weekend before finals week. That is the time that usually sees the most work. You have all day to focus, all of the building are open and well equipped for lots of workers and you aren't totally drained of all energy and motivation to focus yet.

So, we hit Foxy Loxy. Focus focus focus. But not really. I just couldn't seem to get my jive on that day and ended up people watching, internet surfing and bugging everyone else with a random fountain of energy. But Claire and Frances were working hard.

By Sunday, all bets were already off. The evening was a total hyper fest in our house and none of us were accomplishing anything. I looked out my window in my door and saw Frances sitting patiently on the floor. Apparently, she had been waiting there for over 5 minutes waiting for me to notice, all for the laugh of it. 

Here Claire works hard on her repeat pattern project. 

 Monday night biscuit run. 100% necessary for morale.

 In the midst of working on my Fashion Tech Final.

Spencer had an awesome finals project that reacquired much effort. And by much effort, I mean, she did not leave the house for 3 days. Not an exaggeration. She did not leave the house. For three days. This was when she just could not handle life anymore. 

Finals are finally over and I rewarded myself with buying Al Green's Greatest Hits on vinyl ON SALE. Sold. Best purchase of the quarter. It's the best. 

After it was all said and done, we made a trip out to Tybee to help Spencer with her amazing mood boards for her application for a Free People Internship. Which she will get. The night was cold and sunny. And we took lots of pictures. It was lovely. 

When then came back and celebrated with a dance party.

Imma miss these ladies.

BOOM. I BEAT THE CLOCK. 

Look What I Can Do

I really hate putting my own work on Facebook or the blog or any of that sort of situation, but I feel that at the end of the quarter, when I am able to look back and really be proud of some of my work, it's worth sharing. 

Last year, I posted my crochet chandelier and this year, I will show you all my Fashion Tech projects. 

Fashion Tech is basically the very first sewing class and one of the major prerequisites for all of the fashion curriculum. 

First we made a skirt...

Then we made a shirt...

And this week, our final project of the blazer was due. 

I am excited that I feel good about my work in this class and all of the rest of them this quarter and I am so excited to take more classes in January. 

Until then, school is out, baby! Tomorrow, we all sadly go our separate ways for six weeks and Frances and I make our way to Tuscaloosa, AL. Then we're going to  spending the night there with one of Frances' good friends, Lauren and then on Saturday, the three of us will get to Dallas sometime in the afternoon. Then, on Monday, I fly back to Californiaaaa!!!! Could not be more excited. 

But, tonight is for celebrating! Finals are over!!!

Early Riser

I woke up this morning at 3:15 and haven't been able to go back to sleep. I blame the latte that I had at 5:00 last night. Caffeine and I don't get along so well. Especially if I don't allow at least 15 hours before I try sleeping again.

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that the lights in the living room were still on. I heard some rustling around and I realized that Claire was still awake. Welcome to finals.

Claire is kind of famous for these painful all nighters that she so easily pulls. One or two of them a quarter and somehow she always seems to get everything done.

Once it became clear that I would not be going back to bed anytime soon, I tinkered around my room for a bit and contemplated whether or not to start packing, but decided it would be smarter to put it off a little longer. I wish I had one of those adorable routines for when I'm up in the middle of the night like you usually see in romantic comedies. You know what I'm talking about-- the part of the movie where our nerdy, but lovable leading man catches the petite and quirky heroine up at 4 in the morning aimlessly painting a giant canvas or cooking some sort of obscure specialty. Later in the movie, we discover that this behavior stems from a momentous time in her past like a bad break up or the death of a close family member.

Eventually, I ditched trying to come up with something cool and decided to catch up on some way past due Hulu quality time. A couple episodes of Modern Family later and I was still wide awake.

Then I remembered that I had rented a movie on iTunes a couple weeks ago called Bill Cunningham: New York-- a documentary on iconic New York Times street style photographer and his momentous career. It came out last spring, but Savannah is a little slow on the uptick when it comes to more independent movies and documentaries so I've had to wait all this time!

I watched it. I loved it. I am now recommending it.

It reminded me a lot of a video that I posted a year ago on the advanced style of a select group of seniors in NYC. Their flare for color and pattern and personal expression is something that Bill Cunningham is extremely drawn to and known for photographing. It convinces me even more to take chances with what I wear and how I choose to enjoy fashion. Besides the fashiony side of it, Bill is so endearing and it is just a really good documentary. (It's also currently available on instant watch on Netflix)



After I finished the movie, I peeked into the living room to see that Claire was still hard at work and coming down the home stretch just in time for her last class of the quarter at 8.

Now, as all of the ladies begin to greet the morning, I am feeling the fatigue of my missed night of sleep. Or maybe it's just the caffeine finally wearing off.

So, good morning, everyone.