There is nothing like a velvet suit. This is another one of those amazing H&M finds. I picked this up when I was living in NYC a few years ago. 

I love the stillness of being on top of a roof in a city. Birmingham is by no means a loud city but there is still that stillness that comes with being on a roof. When I lived in NYC I spent a lot of my free time on my roof reading, writing, anything really. I would get up and watch the sunrise. I would go up there in the middle of the night and play in the snow alone watching New York below me. I will always hold those moments in my heart. Where we live influences us in so many different ways. NYC might have been a temporary home to me... but it has a big place in my heart. It changed me. But Birmingham is also home. And it has changed and it has also changed me. 

Every city holds magic if you care to find it.

I particularly love this parking deck in Birmingham because it is next to the Redmont hotel. It's a glimpse into Birmingham's past. It's steeped in legend and Hank William's spent his last night in the Redmont hotel. It is important that we respect these places and people. If we go and plow over everything our history gets muddled and lost. We also need to respect these people and their contributions.  There is a new film being made about Hank's life called I Saw the Light and I am less than thrilled. I'm left with a sour feeling every time I read something about the film or see a clip. Every icon and person deserves to have their story told the right way. Ego's shouldn't play into the portrayal of another person's life. There is already a lot of negativity surrounding the South and I would hate for our good contributions to get lost in translation. Don't let Hollywood's magic wand stop you from digging deep. Go beyond. I encourage you to seek the truth and the soul behind things. 

I wore this shirt in a post a few weeks ago. It is such a dream. The cut. The fabric. H&M you did it again. It is finally starting to cool off outside and I feel the inspiration surging through my mind. 

As I mentioned in my previous post I feel like this is a time of transformation. A transformation of so many things. It is beautiful and it is hard. We often have to take the first step alone. But that first step is so important. Everything you want is on the other side of fear. 

Sometimes it is after I put on an outfit that I create a story in my head. We found this old gate on the edge of an almost abandoned parking lot. I love creating stories in my head about abandoned homes. I think this outfit compliments the mystery that goes with the abandoned gate. My blog has allowed me to discover new places in my own city. Places that I probably wouldn't have gone too otherwise. I have a few go-to locations but when I find myself getting too comfortable in one area I move (even if it is to just another white wall, I love white walls). When I ordered this top from H&M it reminded me a little of dance costumes from the 1940s. I love the touch of red that this Free People scarf gives the outfit. This bag was given to me from my grandmother a few years ago but I used to play dress up with it when I was little. It is one of my favorite bags and I love how Louis Vuitton is doing similar trunk bags now! As soon as I saw them on the runway I immediately thought of this one. 

Shirt available here

Scarf available here