top three [1.18.2015]

medicine

• It's never lupus! When people first starting noticing what we now know as lupus, they though it was caused by the bite of a wolf because the rash that is characteristic apparently looks like a bite mark (lupus is wolf in latin). I personally feel you would remember getting bit by a wolf...
• Chimney sweeps in the 18th century used to work naked so they wouldn't get their clothes dirty. Many young chimney sweeps ended up developing squamous cell carcinoma of the scrotal skin from the soot that would lodge in the scrotum - this was one of the first cases documented of an occupational carcinogen. 
• There are several viruses (like rubella and cytomegalovirus)  that can cause babies to come out looking like blueberry muffins - so much so that they are know as blueberry muffin babies. 
• (P.S. Remember how last Sunday I talked about the guy who invented cleanliness standards? On Monday, NPR ran a whole story on him! Definitely worth a quick 7 minute listen. Thank you Mia for letting me know on facebook!)

spotted

• My current school bag is really starting to show the wear and tear I've put in through the last year. I can't stop thinking of this beautiful bag - the minimal hardwear and the 3 different colors are just so tempting! Which color should I go for? 
• I love love love elbow patches on sweaters. Polka dots elbow patches (that is on sale)? Done. Heart elbow patches on stripes? DONE.
• Pearls are one of my favorite jewels - BaubleBar currently has a great collection of them, including this bracelet which is very similar to one I own. And if pearls aren't your thing, this amazing statement necklace should be.  

on the internet

• I'm so happy Alissa is back to blogging - we could all learn a few things from her.
• Would you travel for 2 weeks with only a backpack? I'm tempted to find out the next time I go on a trip! Now to find some of those packing cubes...
• So proud of Miss Grace for launching her new site, The Stripe. Can't wait to see all the great things you have planned, Grace! 

notable sales

• 40% off Banana Republic (code:BRWEEKEND, ends Monday). I bet this dress would look amazing on you. 
• 75% EVERYTHING at C.Wonder: their loss is your win. Get these adorable flats for next to nothing. 
• 30% off Madewell sale items (code: AHHH). Please get this too cute heart shirt and think of me every time you are complimented on it. 

on franish

• on instagram: my favorite blouse (currently on sale) with a sweater that needs some TLC
• on the blog: a no make-up before and after (because I love you and Kiehls...)
• on twitter: one of the stranger side effects I've learned about

personal

• I've been playing the comparison game a lot lately - that person did better on that test than I did even though I studied more, that person seems to have everything going right in their personal life, look how cute that persons baby is, look at that person's new house even though they are only 22 - and reading Laura's recent post really has made me try to put a halt to it (even though her life is definitely one I compare myself to!).  I can only do the best I can do. So if I didn't do that well on a test, maybe this is a chance to try something new when it comes to studying because what I thought was working isn't anymore. Sure, people my age are on to their second child and brand new home, but I chose medicine and chose this life, and so for me, those things are going to have to wait a bit longer. I really need to work on that in all aspects of my life, from school to my personal life to blogging. 
• Yesterday we spent 7 hours learning how to do "sensitive patient exams" aka the female pelvic exam and male genitalia exam. While getting up at 6:30 on Saturday morning to learn how to touch naked people isn't at the top of my list of favorite things, it was a really great experience! It also made me realize that in just a few short months, I'll be in a real hospital/clinic working with patients. That's crazy. 
• With everything going on between school and board studying, I rarely see my girlfriends anymore except when we are sitting next to each other for hours at the library. Thursday night after our first heme-onc exam, we all went out for dinner and a drink and it was exactly what we all needed. I don't know what I'm going to do without them starting in June :(

review: kiehl's midnight recovery concentrate

I don't really believe in "miracle" products - there isn't anything out there that is going to fix all of your skin problems. But I would say that Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate comes pretty darn close.

I don't have a ton of major skin concerns, just the pretty typical one - hormonal acne, redness on my cheeks, uneven skin tone, and blackheads on my nose. I'm 27 now, so a few wrinkles show up here and there too. My skin is on the dry side, and it's been especially bad this winter.

I've been using the Midnight Recovery Concentrate for about a year now, and I just re-purchased a second bottle. It's an oil that you use at night to repair your skin overnight. The way I use it is that I remove my makeup (I use coconut oil), then use the Say Yes to Tomatoes face wash, and then dry my face. I put about 5 drops of the concentrate in my hand, and smooth it on my skin, focusing around my drier areas and my eyes. That's all I do in the summer, but with the winter weather I wait about 30 seconds and then moisturize with my favorite Say Yes To Cucumbers moisturizer.

And then I sleep...which is when the magic happens ;)

Here's the before and after (no judging!):

few and far between

I like my closet full of "boring" staples - dark jeans, striped tees, neutral cardigans - but I love the fun and unexpected pieces. They are few and far between in my closet because I rarely step away from the "basics" comfort zone pieces (what can I say, I'm predictable!), but my old man blazer I got on sale years at H&M is one of my favorites. It's not even that outlandish, or great in quality, but I can't get enough of the pattern, the unexpected masculinity, and the elbow patches. I don't reach for it a ton, but every time I do, I love it just as much as I did when I first bought it.

One of my goals for this year is to find a few more of those pieces - they don't need to cost a lot, or be the "it" item of the year - they just have to be something I love wearing. The first item I'm trying out is this dress from Target  - while I ordered the pattern that I would normally go for (the black and white, obviously), I also ordered the floral version. A little bit unexpected compared to what I normally would buy, but I'm excited to give it a try! 

Blazer: H&M 

Shirt: JcPenneys [similar]

Scarf: H&M [similar]

Pants: Gap [similar]

Boots: Vince Camuto [exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Bag: Kate Spade [similar]

Nails: Smith + Cult [exact]

top three [01.11.2015]

one of my favorites of the year: one | two | three

medicine

• There's a blood disorder called beta thalassemia where the synthesis of hemoglobin is decreased. A certain variant results in extra bone formation in a pattern called a "crew-cut" appearance - and it totally looks like that!
• Polychythemia is a disease where you basically have more red blood cells, which means you can carry more oxygen in your blood. Sometimes this is an inherited trait, as was the case for Eero Mantyranta. He was a Finnish Olympic cross country skier who was accused of "blood doping" and it wasn't until 30 years later, when they finally discovered his disorder by studying his own family, that he was acquitted of those charges. Yikes!
• Back in the middle of the 1800s, a doctor noticed that many of his patients who had just given birth were dying (by what was called childbed fever), and that many times, the doctors that performed the delivery had just came back from working in the morgue. Ignaz Semmelweis is credited with instilling the first cleanliness standards in hospitals, making doctors wash their hands before performing a delivery. Interestingly, many doctors at the time didn't think his hypothesis was real, and he was eventually committed to an insane asylum. It'll be interesting to see what the medical community comes up with in the next 100 years that we don't know exists today!

on the internet

• Elevated basics, done so so well. 
• Have you heard about synesthesia? I hadn't, but I found Nicole's history with it so interesting.
• Successful people wear the same thing every day, apparently because of decision fatigue - thoughts? 

spotted

• I've wanted a doctors bag for all the medical equipment we have to lug around for our history and physical practical exams, and this faux leather one would be perfect (and under $30!)
• Probably not the most "patient-contact friendly" pants of all time, but I kind of love these ankle dress pants.
• Target has really stepped it up - this is the perfect every day work dress. Plus their "end of season" boot sale is pretty great right now, especially since we have another 3+ months of boot wearing ahead of us (go for these classic riding boots!).

on franish

• on instagram: testing out a new nail polish
• on the blog: sticking with goals, not resolutions in 2015
• on twitter: I've been clinically diagnosed....

notable sales

• Ann Taylor: 50% off select full-price items (go for this tweed skirt!) + up to 70% off sale items (this oversized blouse would look so great with black leggings and a comfy scarf)
• C. Wonder: 50% off everything (get this for your friend's birthday... coming up in May...)
• J. Crew: 40% off "wear now" items (like the world's most perfect red tote *hearteyes*)

personal 

• Man, these next 4.5 months are going to be...something. We started school on Monday, and it's been full steam ahead since then. Not only do we have our normal school schedule (we are currently doing hematology), but all of our board stuff on top of it. Our schedule used to be a bit more relaxed, especially since we make our own, so if we got through all the school stuff we had to, we got a bit of rest. Now if we aren't doing school work, we're board studying. I've already covered 2 whole core subjects (which in school time took us 5 weeks to cover) and I am all fidgety about trying to get it all done. Bet you guys are going to get as tired of the word "boards" as I've been for the 6 months leading up to now! ;)
• I made this chicken tikka masala (on top of cauliflower rice) and it was so good! A bit time-intensive, but I think I may make a huge batch next time and just freeze a large chunk of it. 
• Have you guys heard all the fuss about Starbuck's "new" drink, the flat white? I actually drank a ton of these when I went to Australia/ New Zealand a few years ago, so I was excited that they now are going to be more popular in the US (I bet you kiwis disagree though!). While a bit rich to be an every day drink (both calorically and financially!), it was a nice treat on the way to the library yesterday. 

one for me and one for you (leah lerner giveaway)

While I love to see what bags are currently the "in" purse to have, I know that in the long run, a classic bag is going to get a lot more use. Simple leather purses with classic shapes will always be in style, which is why I was thrilled with Leah Lerner gifted me one of their beautiful tote bags. With a very similar style to my Madewell tote, the grey color adds a cool feel while remaining super versatile. The leather is seriously so soft, and I think it's definitely one of those purses that gets better with wear. I need to make a bag shaper for it so I can start using it for school more often (I don't want to stretch out the bottom with a heavy computer!), but I'm very excited to add such a beautiful bag to my closet.

Interested in owning your own timeless bag? We're giving away one of their navy small pouches - just enter the rafflecopter below (it's open internationally!) Or use that left over Christmas money to buy this beauty of a bag!

Purse: c/o Leah Lerner [exact]

Cardigan: thrifted [similar]

Tee: Everlane [exact]

Pants: Paige c/o Zappos [exact]

Scarf: Banana Republic [exact on sale!!]

Shoes: suuuuuper old [similar]

Bracelet: gift from miss lizzi [similar]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

top three [01.04.2015]

one | two | three

replace the band on this watch for a similar look

On the Internet

• How cute were Jessica's 4 different NYE outfit ideas? I'm all about #1, in all honesty ;)
• 5 ways to wear the black and white trend
• While some end of the year reviews are a bit unnecessary (like a 10 part series...really), I love reading those that include some insight into their year as a whole. Some of my favorites included Audrey's, Anne's, Sarah's (I love that she has similar yay! versions), and Adina's (girlfriend has awesome luck with finding the best deals ever)

Spotted

• I know it's the middle of winter, but this flowy dress makes me look forward to spring
• Resolved to work out more? Nothing would motivate me more than having my workout pants match my shoes.
• While I don't think the cut would be very flattering on me, I love the idea of foil polka dots and stripes.

On Franish

• On the blog: this year's worst outfits, best purchases, and favorite moments
• On instagram: bigger cities mean better coffee shops :)
• On twitter: what happens when everyone's new years diets start

Notable Sales

• Shopbop has added a bunch of stuff to their sale section. Use that Christmas money to buy yourself a new wallet, or some heavily-discounted designer denim.
• Madewell: extra 40% off sale items (code: EXTRA40). I just ordered the back zip sweater and got it for a steal! Looking for a classic pair of cognac boots? These ones are beautiful, and now under $130 (less than half of the original price!).
• Ann Taylor: 60% off all sale items. A few of my picks below (how fun is that skirt?)

one | two | three

Personal

• We are back from CR's after an amazing Christmas break. I had so much fun getting to know his family better, meeting a few more of his college friends, and spending New Years with another group of his friends. We're back at it tomorrow though - part of me is looking forward to it since it means we're that much closer to the end of pre-clinical years, but I also know how rough this next semester is going to be!
• After enjoying the holidays for all it's (carb) worth, we're going back to sticking to the 4 Hour Body. We were getting a little lax about it towards the end of the semester, so with the start of a new semester, it'll be good to get back to it. CR's parents gave me a food processor for Christmas, so I'm excited to explore all the new possibilities. I'm going to make so much cauliflower rice...and hopefully some of the recipes on my pinterest (next up - spaghetti squash!)
• My parents and grandma bought me these noise-canceling headphones for Christmas and I am.so.excited to use them. No more distractions during study time...except maybe for that pesky instragram ;)

stripes, the eternal trend

My boyfriend thinks that stripes are a trend right now. I think he sees my closet, full of stripes, and then sees striped shirts in stores, and thinks that they are the trendy thing. I'm still trying to convince him that stripes are a classic, not a trend, but you know how boys are ;)

But really, I love a great striped shirt. I think they are so versatile - they can stand on their own, they can be combined with other patterns, or they can be used as a layer to add interest. I've been looking for a white shirt with black stripes, long sleeves, and a longer hem for a long time. I finally found it when I found this tee at Loft a few weeks ago. I'M OBSESSED. It's has the longer rounded hem that makes it perfect for layering. If you've been looking for a simple striped tee, this one is currently on sale for $15 (no code needed). I found that it runs true to size, and I can't stop wearing it. 

Striped Top: Loft [exact]

Sweater: Soft by Joie c/o Zappos [exact]

Jeans: Uniqlo [exact]

Scarf: H&M [exact]

Watch: Kate Spade [save | same style]

Shoes: Sperry [exact]

Bag: Madewell [save | exact]