My Room

  
If you couldn’t tell (but hopefully you can..because I designed it to be that way) my room looks very ‘Pinterest-y.’ I tried really hard to top the design I had last year (see below).

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The way I put together a room is actually the opposite of the way you would think. I used the same bedding as last year so I started with that, but the first thing I bought was the rug. I had a style in mind, one that you can check out on my Pinterest board below, but had no idea what I was looking for. I usually just wander around HomeGoods for a few hours just to see if anything hits me. And it did! This rug was on sale for NINE DOLLARS. Not too shabby.

https://www.pinterest.com/herseykisses/dorm-ideas/

From there, I had to figure out what to do with my walls. I loved last year’s washi tape wainscoting because it was so original and had a wow-factor, but I didn’t feel like doing the same thing again. If I copied myself, where would the wow be? After hours  on Pinterest, I came across this wall design that was in a few photos of fancy, chic closets. Framed shopping bags! It was so simple, I absolutely loved it.

Now in the images, the bags were all Chanel, Dior, Dolce Gabbana types – types poor college children like me don’t just have lying around. However, I still have a lot of shopping bags (nice ones…that I collect…and my friends think I’m a hoarder). This made the wall design perfect for me. I selected the bags largely because of their colors and design. I ended up with bags from Bebe, Dear New York (Zara), Promod (Paris), J.Crew, Birchbox, and the MoMa. I stuck each one into a glossy white frame and they were ready to hang!

The bedside table was something I’ve had lying around for ages that I just spray painted the same glossy white as the frames and it looks brand new!

The hardest part to make was the headboard. This year, I stepped it up and tried my hand at recreating a quilted look. For the sake of brevity, let’s just say there was a table saw, a drill, homemade buttons, a staple gun, toothpicks, hot glue, and a lot of man hours involved. I am in love with the final product though. The grey color really ties the grey of the rug in with the upper half of the room.

After typing all this out, I’m starting to realize that I may seem like a crazy lady for putting so much effort and planning into decorating a room that I’m only going to live in for nine months, but it’s kind of compulsive for me. I couldn’t not decorate and plan it all out. I know some people who bring their bedspreads, lay it out, and are all finished. I don’t think I could do that. Why not make a space as pretty as it can be, no matter how long or short a period you are there for?

Back at It

It’s finally move in day! Two of my friends and I get to move into our suite a few days before everyone else (and set up our territory).

My new room is to die for. Even though it’s the small, white-walled cube you’d expect from a dorm room, I managed to make it comfortable, chic, and as close to a pinterest-worthy design as possible.  I’m still setting up and adding the finishing touches, but I’ll post as soon as it’s complete. I may even like it more than my room last year! It’s interesting to see how tastes and styles change over time. Each year, I try to go for something a little different. Last year was classic and girly with a little posh touch. This year, my inspiration words were sleek and chic (with a touch of basic-@$$ pinterest style).

Although I’m not in Paris anymore, there should be plenty of interesting things going on in the city to keep me posting. This fall term, I’m taking a fashion business seminar in which we meet with heads of some large (and hopefully high-profile) fashion brands in order to advise them on the most practical strategies for their businesses going forward. Not going to lie, I’m terrified to be under that kind of pressure, but I know it will definitely an amazing learning experience. My other classes are generic business requirements, but I’m definitely looking forward to them as well.

As if my class schedule isn’t busy enough, I’m interning at a big bridal salon and CollegeFashionista (follow my profile!). I’m thrilled to have these opportunities. Through my ballet school, I had multiple chances to experience the magic of wedding gowns. During one of their bridal fashion shows, I danced as a munchkin from the Wizard of Oz. Over the years, I’ve worn quite a few bridal dresses in various NAYB productions. When I was in 5th grade, I played Clara in the Nutcracker and got to pick my dress from the bridesmaid department at Kleinfeld. The staff was incredible and I can’t wait to become part of the team that makes bridal dreams come to life (as cheesy as that sounds).

I will be posting ‘Sartorial Star’ interviews with peers, friends, and stylish people I see on the street! If you’re interested in being featured, email me at HerseyKissesBlog@gmail.com

It’s going to be a busy busy year, but a fascinating one so be sure to check in once in a while to see what’s new!