top three [03.15.2015]

my favorite favorite jeans: one | two | three

medicine

• We started derm this week, and it may just be the grossest system so far. Fungal balls in lungs? No problem. Weird crazy ulcerating colons? Horrible disease, but I don't mind learning about it. Cutaneous horns?! GROSS, please stop. Seriously....horns...from your skin. Nope nope nope.
• Molluscum contagiosum sounds like a spell in Harry Potter, but I think it's my favorite skin condition just because the pathology is so pretty. It's a fairly common viral skin disease that you can get from direct contact (apparently gym towels and wrestling mats are popular places to pick this fun disease up), but I just love the way it looks (which sounds weird, but it's that kind of stuff that makes me consider going into pathology!)
• Familial Adenomatous Polyposis is an inherited disorder that results in thousands of polyps in the large intestines that will result in colon cancer, which is why people who have this disorder prophylactically have their rectum and colon removed. The pictures of it are just amazing in the sense that our body does something like this to itself. 

on the internet

• I love reading everyone's takes on instagramming - here are a couple of interesting tips that I hadn't heard before!
• Tips for getting rid of dark spots from a future dermatologist - I just order both creams to try to get rid of a few pesky spots.
• I love Bri's new recurring post, Trav and Bri Recently - I just like reading about what's going on in her life outside of blogging. 
• Extra: how amazing does Adina look in this dress?

spotted

• I added this blouse as an add-on to get free shipping, and it turns out it was my favorite item in the order (for reference, I ordered it in a medium tall). Review coming up early this week but just a heads up, it's currently 40% off! 
• Possibly the perfect sandal, now that it's finally warm enough to think sandals.
• How precious is this skirt? I would have no idea how to wear it, but I love the idea of it. 

on franish

• on the instagram: spending a few hours in a pristine white coat and this beautiful coral blouse
• on the blog: a peak into a day in my life
• on the twitter: I've been working on that post for weeks now!

notable sales

• Ann Taylor (40% off everything!): go for this wrap trench dress (seriously, I bet it's flattering on everyone)
• Gap (30% off everything): how pretty is this cotton dress?
• J.Crew (30% off sale items): their pencil skirts are my favorite, and currently under $60

personal

• I finally joined snapchat. I don't know really how to use it, but my younger sister pressured me into it and here we are. @fhasselhof for probably too many cat and dog pictures ;)
• On Friday night CR and stayed up later than normal to finish the last episode of Game of Thrones, then stayed up even later talking, and then slept in later than 8:00...and it was awesome. A diner breakfast may or may not have been involved after we woke up. 
• SPRING! It feels like one day it was the middle of deep winter, and all of a sudden it was 45 degrees out and most of the snow was gone. While nicer weather makes it harder to force myself to stay inside all day, it's nice to be able to go out on a mid-afternoon walk with the dogs. If it could just stay 50 degrees forever, that would be greeeeeaaaat. 

day in the life: of a second year med student (while board studying...)

7:30: Good morning! I somehow have turned into one of those people who is awake as soon as the alarm goes off (ok fine, only one snooze), so I go downstairs to let the dogs out. While the snow just about everywhere else has melted, the back of our complex never gets sun, so we still have two feet of it out back - it's entertaining to watch Hans walk across it and then sink in ;)

 7:45: Shower time. I've recently started dry brushing before getting in the shower using this inexpensive brush I found on Amazon. My skin is pretty dry, and the combination of dry brushing + this lubriderm lotion has really helped this winter. After showering I quickly do my make up (my staples include this smashbox powder, stila's eyeliner, and this too faced mascara). I needed to wash my hair today, so getting ready takes a bit longer on those days. I use a combination of Kiehl's heat-protective cream and living proof's style extender before blow drying, and a few blasts of oribe's dry texturizing spray after curling my hair.

ten things

you may not know about me [as inspired by Alissa's recent post]

1. Growing up, my parents insisted I have long hair - it was down to my butt for much of my childhood
2. I planned on becoming an English teacher in college, until my parents convinced me to give science a try.
3. I'm a permanent resident, not a citizen, of the US, so I'm not allowed to vote. Everyone always asks me if I'm going eventually become a citizen, and to be honest, I don't really know why I would go through the hassle of it all.
4. I will always choose a cheeseburger over a piece of cake
5. ...unless it's tiramisu, and then it's a toss up (but only if it's made by my mom)
6. I was in the University of Wisconsin Marching Band in college. It sounds super dorky, but it was actually the hardest thing I've ever done, and the most rewarding (so far in life, anyway!). I got to travel all over the country, met some of the coolest people, and I can honestly say those were the happiest years of my life - so far ;)
7. I became scuba certified in sixth grade, but only have gone a handful of times since then. My sister, dad, uncle, and I went on a scuba trip my junior year of college to Little Cayman and it was by far one of the coolest experiences - we saw a hammerhead shark!
8. My first car was a '57 Chevy Bel Air. It didn't work when my dad bought it from one of the nurses he worked with, but we spent a year fixing it. It was giant and bright teal and I half loved it and half hated it. We ended up selling it back to that same nurse after I graduated from high school.
9. I have a small star tattoo on my left wrist. You may have never seen it (although you can in the picture below) because 19 year old me was smart enough to put it somewhere that can easily be covered up, but even so, I plan on having it lasered off when I pay my braces off...
10. ...I have braces! I did the whole braces thing twice growing up, but it didn't stick. I'm using my blogging income to have a mouth full of straight teeth, once and for all (although they aren't all real - my sister pushed me down a water slide when I was younger, and I broke off one of my front teeth. bitch.)

Your turn! What don't we know about you?

Blouse: Loft [similar in 5 colors]

Jeans: Madewell [regular | talls on sale]

Scarf: gift from Steph

Belt: Gap [very similar]

Shoes: Frye [exact on sale]

Tote: Madewell [save options below | exact]

Watch: Michael Kors [save | exact]

Bracelet: c/o Rocksbox [use code franishxoxo for 1 free month]

and a few more inexpensive options (almost all under $50). I know several people (including Audrey) who have the first bag who really like it!

one | two | three

four | five | six

top three [03.08.2015]

obsessed with this nail polish color [pictures via instagram]

medicine

• There are a ton of different types of tumors you can get for each location in your body, so there isn't just an ovarian tumor, there are many different types of ovarian tumors.  One type is a mucinous tumors that is what its name implies: full of mucus. There is a type of ovarian tumor that produces so much mucus that it can fill an entire abdominal cavity, causing pseudomyxoma peritonei (or "jelly belly"). As always, google at your own risk! ;)
• Uterine prolapse is probably just as horrible as it sounds - basically the uterus "comes loose" and protrudes out through the vagina. This often happens after birth, and can be surgically corrected. Don't want surgery? Pessaries are objects that can be used to hold everything up and in, and have been around for thousands of years (apparently pomegranates used to be popular?). 
• There's a type of inherited skin disorder called ichthyosis where keratin in the skin builds up, but can't be sloughed off normally. One of the most severe forms is harlequin ichthyosis, where the dermis can be up to ten times as thick as normal. I remember learning about this during anatomy when we first started school, and was so mortified by it - my lab mates at the time loved to torture me by sending me pictures of poor little harlequin babies at random times throughout the month. This documentary on someone who has ichthyosis was super inspiring at the time though - definitely something to watch if you have 20 minutes!

on the internet

• No one ever emails me with "social media exposure" as payment, but if they did, I'll send them straight here to let them know nope nope nope. 
• Part work, part casual - pretty sure Kendi can do no wrong. 
• How to always get the haircut you want - needed, since my hair never turns out the way I want. 

spotted

• The perfect spring dress - full short sleeves, neutral colors for all your bright accessories, and in a super flattering cut (I just ordered it...along with this black/brown cardigan, because I have a neutrals problem...)
• I don't have a big bag collection because I'm overly picky when it comes to bags. I realized that I don't have a simple black clutch though, so now I'm on the look out. Isn't this one perfect? If only I got a tax refund this year! :(
• While I love a great statement necklace, I've been really drawn to longer necklaces lately. I love how this tassel (with mini pearls!!) necklace can be dressed up or down.

on franish

• on the instagram: all about that office supplies (the USB doctor can be found here in blue and in pink!)
• on the blog: have you entered the giveaway yet? 
• on the twitter: my friday afternoons are my glamorous than yours

notable sales

• J.Crew: extra 30% off sale items 
• Pick up this summer's coverup for a steal
• LOFT: 40% off everything 
• A closet staple that comes in petites, regular, and talls!
• I'm so happy someone made the exact dress I've been looking for for weeks!
• Madewell: extra 30% (sometimes up to 50% off sale items
• Wish I wore heels more because I'd be all over this mint pair
• I don't need this sweater, I don't need this sweater, I don't need this sweater (but I realllllllly want it)

personal

• We had our second reproduction exam on Friday, so we've had a "free" weekend. Of course it's not really free, but we did take Friday evening off. CR and I went to this super cute little Italian restaurant, and then went to see Focus (do not really recommend...maybe Redbox it). It was so nice to just spend some time together outside of sitting across from each other at the library. 
• We are officially in our last "normal" system right now - once we are done with derm all we really have left is pysch! We are all coming to the realization that the classroom work is coming to a close, and it's exciting and so so terrifying at the same time. It's been so nice being mostly on our own schedule all the time (even though that schedule revolves around studying) that it's going to be a bit hard to be on someone else's schedule again. I'm really excited to actually put all of this knowledge to some kind of use - or at least see how things work in the real world ;)
• While I love that it's going to get warmer ~soon, I also kind of hate spring because I hate warm weather clothes. I really need to move somewhere where it is fall all year long. I just don't like shorts, tank tops, strapless anything, rompers - just about everything you'll see people get really excited about in the next few months. I really need to just find the perfect cotton dress with sleeves, and then buy it in every color. Who else out there kind of hates spring clothes? 

midwest is best

You guys know I'm all about the scarves - when you deal with close to six months of winter a year, you learn quickly that a variety of scarves is needed to deal with the constant freezing weather. I was super excited when Kelsey, a fellow Wisconsin girl, reached out to let me know that she had started her own Etsy shop that sells a variety of beautiful home-made scarves and if I'd like to try one out. A homemade scarf made in my favorite city? Yes please.

I went with the Madison Infinity scarf in butterscotch - it is so soft and I love that it's a little bit of home. The butterscotch color is a great addition to my closet since I own very little yellow, but I love the way it works with my favorite chambray shirt and leopard flats (that are currently 30% off!). 

Interested in one of these beautiful scarves for yourself? You can enter the giveaway below (US residents only please), or you can use the code FRANISH15 to get 15% off an order (good through April 15th). 

Scarf: c/o Midwestern Comfort [exact]

Chambray: J.Crew [exact]

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Watch: Michael Kors [save | exact]

Shoes: Madewell [exact on sale]

Belt: Gap [very similar]

Nails: Essie [exact]

Ring: c/o Rocksbox [use code franishxoxo for 1 month free!]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

spring ahead: shopbop sale

sunglasses: one | two | three

tops: one | two | three

jeans: one | two | three

flats: one | two | three

Today is first day of Shopbop's Big Spring Sale. If you've had your eye on anything these past few months, now is the time to act. It starts today, and ends on Sunday at 4 AM. It's a tiered sale so

if you spend $250, you get 15% off

if you spend $500, you get 20% off

if you spend $1000, you get 25%

Not looking to drop $250, but know of a friend who is also eyeing something? Go in on an order together to still get the savings!

I'm going to use this as an opportunity to upgrade some of my denim. I have several pairs of jeans that I have just completely worn through (not so bad, $30 jeans lasting 5 years!) so I'd like to get a pair of causal lightly distressed jeans. I have several pairs of dark ("nice") jeans, but I love the look of just a bit of distressing for days off. I'm thinking this pair will be what I try - I love that the color is a bit different! I also added this looser sweater (in pale pink) to my order - it doesn't follow my usual set of "rules" but I'm also a little sick of those rules...

Disclosure: Shopbop is a sponsor of this blog by providing me with a monthly shopping stipend. I was asked to share this sale with all of you, but all opinions are my own...duh ;)

top three [03.01.2015]

my favorite gold watch [save | exact] : one | two | three

medicine

• Buerger's Disease is a form of vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) that affects mainly medium to small vessels in the hands and feet. Almost all people who get this are smokers (the treatment is actually to stop smoking!) but what I found most interesting is that it can lead to auto-amputation (because the blood isn't circulating correctly, so fingers / toes / feet become gangrenous and die). This video (warning! it's pretty graphic) shows just the extent of what this disease can do. 
• I'm sure you've heard stories about people who found tumors in their bodies and claimed that they were their "twin" that they ate in utero, because the tumors had hair and teeth. Those are actually teratomas - they are tumors that contain parts of what look like normal components of the body (hair, teeth, bones). When we were in cadaver lab, we would find these random pieces of dark hair throughout our cadaver's body (like we put cut into a muscle, and pull out hairs) and we would joke that they were "two cell teratomas". There are some pretty gnarly pictures out there, so google at your own risk! 
• Endometriosis is a fairly common condition where endometrium (the cells that line the uterus) implant in areas they shouldn't. This can cause a variety of symptoms, depending on where the endometrial tissue is. I think the most interesting case is when implants in an ovary. Like regular endometrial tissue, the transplanted tissue still responds to hormones and will undergo the same changes as uterine tissue does during the menstrual cycle. The growth and sloughing off, with no where to go, eventually leads to something called a "chocolate cyst" in the ovary - it really does look like melted chocolate. 

on the internet

• more instagram tips - while technically for small businesses, you can totally use these for your own "blogging" business
• winter whites, done right (plus her bag is like my dream cognac bag!) 
• I love when I can see different ways to wear the same piece, so I loved Jean's 10 different outfits with one of my favorite pieces of hers. I know I wouldn't be able to wear the necklace much once rotations started, or else I would totally have purchased it. 

spotted

• I've been a little bored with my neutrals + neutrals + neutrals routine lately, and so I'm trying to step outside of my normal stripes, whites, tans routine by ordering this colorblocked lilac shirt. Who knows, maybe I'll end up hating it, or it'll be the shirt I can't stop wearing this spring and summer. I also added on a pretty salmon bow blouse (it comes in talls!), just to really get spring started...with the several feet of snow we still have on the ground ;)
• Thoughts on this dress for a spring wedding? I've always wanted a pretty maxi dress!
• This is the cutest tech gadget ever. Gold polka dots!

on franish

• on instagram: finally ordered the Nars lipstick and while the tube is smaller than expected, it is very pretty! 
• on the blog: where my budget money went this month and all the ladies who linked up
• on twitter: winter can end anytime now.

notable sales

• Ann Taylor: 50% off sale items (may finally just have to order this spotted top...right?!)
• J. Crew: 25% off closet "must haves" (I "must have" this sparkly top - it's like a hidden party)
• Old Navy: 40% off the entire store with ON/Gap/BR card (need this J.Crew-like tuxedo blouse!!)

personal

• Things are looking a little different around here! After a very frustrating initial experience with finding someone to do my re-design, I found Maru on Etsy and I just can't say enough good things about my experience working with her. She was such a professional and such a joy to work with - prompt with emails, totally willing to make the smallest of changes, and we were just very much on the same page about what I wanted my blog to look like. If you are looking for someone to do the same for you, really go check out her Etsy shop. She offers everything from social media buttons to template designs to custom designs (the option I chose) at a very affordable price. 
• While I refused to read the books, my roommate wanted to see 50 Shades of Grey for her birthday so we all went a few weeks ago. It was ridiculous (although entertaining!) but the best thing in that entire movie was this song. I can't stop listening to it! Second best part was the few snapshots of Seattle - I'm already looking forward to the next time I can go back.
• CR's family came down to visit us this weekend, and it was so great to hang out with them for the evening. My family is currently spread out all over the world - from South Africa (my sister) to Hungary (my brother) to Alabama (my mom) to Jakarta (my dad) - so it was nice to have "family" time with people who are a bit closer to my current home. I would love for my own family to come visit though (hint hint ;) )