The Venue Rules

A fatwa against sweatpants and sneakers.

[thevenuerules]

I know, I know. I haven't blogged in ages. What can I say? I've been busy with all of the things you've been busy with.  However, I'm back with an important message.  As our library sessions get longer, our skipped Civ Pros creep towards the limit, and our outlines replace our briefs, it becomes increasingly tempting to resort to lounge wear and sneakers.  Believe me, I get it. My Lulu spandex are the comfiest items in my wardrobe.

If you're going to ditch real pants and appropriate foot wear, take a page from the stylebook of Professor Graham. She offsets her spandex leggings with an athletic-inspired cardigan and matches her fun spring sneakers with her tank.  As much as I claim to hate leggings and sneakers outside of the Johnson Center, I just can't hate this.  This ensemble is trendy and groomed enough to be school-appropriate, but still have all of the comforts of sweats and Nikes. 

[thevenuerules]

After the months of grief over leaving Nashville "America's Greatest City" Tennessee, I got serious about finding all of my favorite places in the Bluegrass. Graeter's for sorbet, Berea for hiking, Morris for books, the Johnson Center for running and climbing: these are a few of my favorite things. What I have yet to choose is my favorite place for coffee.

Coffee is serious. I drink at least two cups a day. I drink it like melted ice cream: creamy and sweet. It isn't for the caffeine; I sleep at least 9 hours a night and I am the most irritatingly jovial morning person you'll meet. Coffee is a part of my life. I love conversing over it, reading over it, and writing over it.  I'm drinking my way through Minneapolis with it now.

When I left Nashville, I left Bongo World behind.  Hot & Cold and Fido were my favorites, both within the local Bongo Coffee conglomerate.  Now that I'm in Lexington and have sampled the local offerings, I must find a favorite and relish it morning and evening, the way I like. In the spirit of March Madness, I've drafted this Coffees of Lexington bracket.  I'll spend the weeks leading up to finals choosing one and letting it reign supreme on this blog and against my taste buds.  Soon I'll publish my official rubric for grading the coffees and my methodology.  For if I am one thing, I am precise. 

P.S. If you want to come on a coffee grading visit with me to any of the locations above, hit me up; you're invited. I can also send you the worddoc of this bracket, so you can play along.

[thevenuerules]

While the rest of you are laying on the beach getting tanner than I, I'm in Minneapolis and Chicago getting frostbitten.  Don't fret! I'm keeping warm with this new grandma-chic quilted puffer coat from the Anthro sale room. This stunner is now literally the ugliest thing I own. Regardless of how warm it is in Lexington, I'll wear it to class next week. Something this horrendous is meant to be shown, shared, and celebrated.

[thevenuerules]

Why Can't a Smart Woman Love Fashion?

"I had learned a lesson about Western culture: Women who wanted to be taken seriously were supposed to substantiate their seriousness with a studied indifference to appearance."

[thevenuerules]

Without Walls

Urban Outfitters has a new fitness brand. WHAT!?! How did I not know about this?  I fortunately have an Anthro employee discount card (from a dear friend in a far away store; it's my little fashion secret) and will soon put it to good use to buy new vibrant printed and colored spandex.  (Sorry, Lululemon!  I was looking for a new brand after you shamed so many of your plus-sized customers last season.)

On a less positive note, I suppose this means I'll need to make it to the gym more than once a week to justify the expenditure. 

[thevenuerules]

A last minute award submission: Best Reaction to Josh Wearing a Tie

photo credit: Waymond

[thevenuerules]

More Barrister's fashion awards! Click through the photos above to see.

Like I said below, I stole these photos off of Facebook.  Sorry I'm not sorry. But seriously, if you're offended by my lack of journalistic integrity, just let me know. 

[thevenuerules]

Rather than take photos at Barrister's, I socialized and danced. WHOOPS.  So I just scavenged Facebook to put together my Barrister's fashion awards.  Flip through the photos above to see the winners of some silly categories.

Note: I'll photo credit each of these to the Facebook page I stole them from.  However, I will happily take your photo down if you'd like. 

[vogue]

[thevenuerules]

Am I wearing this to Barrister's Ball tomorrow? You'll have to wait and see.  But seriously, if any of you spill a drink on this, I will make it my life's mission to ruin you.

[from-seven-to-eleven-deactivate]

[thevenuerules]

Be still my heart.

[thevenuerules]

Aside from tucking into one's underpants, how does a girl keep a silk blouse from slipping out of her denim?  There must be a secret my mother never taught me.

[thevenuerules]

It's no secret that I adore the Kardashians.  However, I have never been too fond of the younger two, the Jenner offspring. I find their California teenager aesthetic mundane compared to that of their Armenian older half-sisters. (It's no secret that I adore Armenians, either.)

This Marie Claire Mexico cover is a game changer. They are both styled and made up to look like Frida Kahlo. I love it, but wish they had penciled in unibrows on both.  Statement eyebrows are the thing.

[thevenuerules]

While I usually don't do weekend LOOK OF THE DAYs, I had to make an exception.  Jonathon turned 23 this weekend and celebrated with West 6th Brewery, Smithtown Seafood, Southland Bowling, and the most dapper birthday boy outfit. Dark jeans, a delicate tweed blazer, and perfectly shined cognac oxfords? Are you kidding me? Jonathon can teach us all a lesson on how to age gracefully.  Pair this with the fact that he pulled up to the bowling alley jamming to Taylor Swift's 22 and you have a stylish young man who doesn't take himself too seriously.  Happy Birthday, Jonathon!  May you continue to grow older, wiser, and more stylish.

[thevenuerules]

It's become increasingly popular to lament about taxes and hate on the federal government, but I love paying taxes.  I love driving on paved roads. I love attending public institutions like this very law school.  I, also, love veteran's hospital, unemployment benefits, and WIC. Plus, the Affordable Care Act!

What I don't love about paying taxes is The IRS. Why? I am terrified of them; I am absolutely horrible at filing my own taxes.  I have zero financial literary.  Good thing I'm friends with ABID!  He recently passed his CPA exam and he has his own tax service. PHEW!  Without him, I'd be sure to get arrested around October and end up in Gitmo for accidentally filing too many credits. 

You can get your taxes done by our friend Abid, too.  Just call him or email him via TWEN.  He's currently volunteering for the tax clinic we have here on campus, but he'll squeeze in your tax-preparation needs for a small fee.

[lawschoolmadeeasy]

[thevenuerules]

The quotation marks here seem unnecessary.

[thevenuerules]

THEVENUERULES's intern, Oakley, came up with the best idea for a post today.  "Arsh, put Bennett on your blog.  Look at that collar!"  

So true, Oakley, that collar does send the message of SPRING IS HERE loud and clear. (Goodness, I must be slacking to have not come up with this idea myself. This brief has completely disheveled my priorities. Blog > Brief)

Thanks to Oakley's suggestion, Bennett and several of our dressed-for-Spring friends are in today's LOOKS OF THE DAY gallery.  Be sure to click on the photos above for some Austin-inspired commentary.

[thevenuerules]

Urban Outfitters to move into former DeSha's space; Victorian Square is renamed The Square | Daily Business Report | Kentucky.com

This is the universe telling me to bring back overalls.