Tiptoe Higher

One thing that really has a big impact on my life is music. I listen to music anytime I can and I am always looking for new stuff to tune into. If you take a look through my iPod you will see a different array of artists ranging from Miley Cyrus to Eminem to AC/DC. I don't normally like to limit myself to one genre because great music comes from anywhere. Yes, I do have my car stations set to Top 40 music, but it doesn't stop me from sifting through the other stations once in a while.

My love of music made me think, maybe there are other people out there who are like me and like tons of different genres of music. So I've decided to dedicate a day of my blog to music. Let's call it 'Serenade Me Saturday'. Wow, do I love some alliterations. Hey, they're fun. I'll stick with them.

The gist is every Saturday I will write about a specific song or album I am really loving for the week. I hope to get some feedback from this in you all commenting on different songs/artist to try or even just commenting below letting me know that you listened to said song/artist and really enjoyed them. That would really make my day to know if someone's music taste benefitted from my post :)

So without further ado, lets get onto this week's music...

Night Visions by Imagine Dragons

The band Imagine Dragons took home 'Best Alternative Group' last Sunday at the AMA's. To say that they are pretty hot right now could be an understatement. Many of their songs from this album, especially Radioactive, have been on the top 10 lists of iTunes for some time now.

When I first heard Radioactive on the radio, like pretty much everyone else, I really liked it. It soon became one of my favorite songs. One of my favorite ways to listen to music is through Spotify. I often like to listen to the Top Lists on Spotify to see what is hot right now. Through Spotify I found a couple other songs from this album that I also really liked: Demons, It's Time, My Fault.

To say I started liking Imagine Dragons a long time ago would be an understatement. I didn't realize until I heard this whole album that a lot of these tracks were played at Francesca's. For those of you who don't know, I used to work at Francesca's Collections. They had a CD that constantly played and repeated while I was at work and songs like Underdog and On Top of the World were on this disc.

It wasn't until earlier this week that I was hanging out with one of my guy friends and he had a song playing on his phone. I was listening to it and realized I really liked it, I looked on his phone and saw that it was Bleeding Out. I started talking to him about it and how he really enjoyed the entire album, so when I got home that night I listened to the whole thing all the way through. Needless to say, I was very impressed.

Bleeding Out probably is my favorite song off of the album but I also really like Tiptoe, Amsterdam, Every Night, and Cha-Ching, to name a few. If you like alternative music or even just Top 40 music, I would highly recommend checking out this album. It's got a lot of diversity to it and I believe everyone can find a track that they like.

So, go ahead, check it out:

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Bleeding Red and White

In honor of the last home football game of the season tomorrow against Maryland, I figured this Fashion Fridays can be dedicated to tailgating attire! Yes, everyones favorite time of year. Football season. Unfortunately it is coming to a close, and I will not be attending the game tomorrow, but it has been a great season thus far.

...okay 'great' may be a bit of a stretch, we pretty much suck this year. But lets be honest, who goes for the game anyways? Yes, I actually do enjoy watching the games, but I won't lie and say I am a hardcore fan - going to all the games, staying the entire time, getting there at least an hour early to get my extra loyalty point. No I am a typical sorority girl. I tailgate, arrive at the game late, and stay till half time (if I'm feeling really into it). So basically, I am the fan that everyone hates. However, since this was my first year where I was able to attend every single football game because I didn't have to work, I figured I would do it right - the sorority way.

Below is the typical tailgating outfit. I will admit, this is more of a 'GDI' attire, sorority girls dress up more - pretty much sundresses and cowboy boots. However, since it is November and I am not into freezing my butt off just to look cute I figured I could break the sorority norm for this one post.

To sum everything up, this outfit covers all of the bases. 

School colors? Check

Cowboy boots? Check

Red Solo Cup? Check

Yup, looks like you've got everything you need to tailgate at NC State. Honestly, the center of the outfit is the cowboy boots. It is a tailgating staple and if you are seen without them on, you might as well be a martian from Carolina. Like, who are you? (I feel like such a brat right now). But I'm not kidding. I know a bunch of guys who make fun of girls for wearing what we do, sundresses and cowboy boots to a football game? Really? Really boys. I know the dress doesn't make sense, but come to a tailgate at NC State and you'll understand why the cowboy boots honestly are the best shoe choice.

Once you have your outfit picked out, grab your favorite alcoholic beverage (if you are of age of course), hit up fraternity row, and you are ready to tailgate. "We're the red and white from State and we know we are the best"...so please, beat Maryland.

Wolfpack by caseyrosexo featuring Illamasqua

Oh, and Go Wolfpack!

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Giving Thanks

In my opinion, Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays of the year. Not only is it a time to reconnect with family and friends that you may not have seen in a while, eat delicious food, and watch countless hours of dog shows and football games. Thanksgiving is a day centered around giving thanks for the things that you have in your life.

I would definitely classify my family as 'well off'. No, we aren't super rich, but we do live a very comfortable life style. Throughout the year I come across many different classes of people in my every day life. Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that I am forced to collect my memories from the past year and reflect on how good I really have it.

Sure there are times in your life where everything does not go according to your plan, but ultimately, and I believe this with all my heart, everything happens for a reason. All of your experiences shape you into the person you are meant to become.

So here goes, what I am the most thankful for this year...

1. My sorority - While there were ups and downs this year I am extremely thankful for the sorority I have become apart of. First off, I am thankful that my parents are able to afford such an organization. That in itself is not a cheap 'hobby'. I am also thankful that his year I was able to serve on my chapters executive board as the Vice President of Membership. Through the experiences that this position has presented to me has really made me grow as a person and helped guide me in the direction I want to take my life. I have learned that I love people, sure they get on your nerves sometimes, but overall I love the company people give. I never want a job that requires me to work alone, I love interacting with people and getting their ideas on things. I think everyone on this planet is special and has something unique to bring to the table. I have found through VPM that I want to work with people, whether that is being a full time mother or working in a business that allows me to be in contact with people on a daily basis. And also, the most important part of my sorority experience, I am most thankful for the friendships I have gained. If I had not joined this organization my life would be completely different than it is now. I would be friends with completely different people, and not saying that it would be a bad thing, but I am so thankful for the women I do have in my life. It's cliche to say that you join a sorority to find your bridesmaids, but that's exactly what I've found. A bridesmaid, to me, is a person who is one of your closest friends. Someone who has been with you through the ups and downs of life and always supports you no matter what. This is what I have found in this group of women, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
   
2. Volleyball - This sport has always been my biggest passion. I started playing at a young age and I never imagined the opportunities it would present me with. It was something that allowed me to meet my best friend. It gave me a constant, fun, work out routine throughout the past few years. And it now has given me my current job. I was the head coach for a local middle school this past season and I am now assistant coaching for a local club team this season. I am so thankful for this coaching opportunity, it has given me a job that I look forward to going to every day. Because as a wise man once said, "Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life."
   I also am thankful for all of my players. They may not know this, but they have helped me grow more than they could ever imagine. Coaching is such a different experience than playing, and it has actually made me a better player. It has also allowed me to sharpen my leadership skills and has taught me a whole bunch of patience. Those are things that are irreplaceable.
   
3. Heartbreaks - This one may seem odd at the start but bare with me. I am thankful for the biggest heartbreaks I have ever gone through. The first one this year was when my boyfriend and I broke up over the summer. While it was extremely hard, and it still is to this day, I am thankful for the experience. It has made me grow as a person, reflecting on that relationship and seeing how I can be a better girlfriend in the future. You learn something from every experience you go through and without that experience I would have most likely done the same thing with the next guy I dated. But I reflected, saw what needed work, and vowed to myself that I will be different the next go-around. I am also thankful for heartbreak because it means I found love. Not everyone can say they have experienced that and for me to have found it at such a young age, well I consider myself very lucky. Love opens your eyes in a very different way, something that is very hard to explain, but once you've felt it you know what I mean. 
   The second heart break I experienced this year was the loss of my dog, Rosey. She was the greatest dog in the world and losing her opened my eyes to how precious life is. We got her when I was in second grade and for me to be able to see her life progress from a puppy to an elderly dog and then transitioning to death is something not everyone gets to experience. 
   The last heartbreak I wish to share from this year is when I did not get my dream position of Chapter President. This is something new that I have not shared on this blog before. I have had my heart set on the position of Chapter President for a while now and when slating season came around for the new executive council, I was not slated. While this is extremely hard to get over and come to terms with, in fact I still am not completely over it, it has made me realize that I have a lot more growing to do. If I was ready, I would have gotten slated, but the fact that I wasn't proved to me that I have a lot more to work on. So, again everything is a learning experience, I will reflect on the reasons I did not get it and use that to better myself for future endeavors. The fact that I was even in the running to be considered for the position speaks volumes in itself and for that opportunity I am still very grateful.
   
4. My loved ones - I know everyone uses this one and it may seem super cliche, but I am so thankful for the people I have in my life. It is so hard to find true friends and I am so thankful that I have. They have been with me through the ups and the downs and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I honestly wouldn't be alive today without them. This may seem a little extreme but it's true. The same goes for my family. I have the most loving family I could have ever asked for. I have a mother and father would I could go to for anything and love me unconditionally. I have a great relationship with both of my brothers, something that not a lot of people can say they have. So thank you friends and family, for making my life even more worth while.

I could go on and on at all of the things in my life I am thankful for, but that would just be a nightmare to read. So for now those are my Top 4. I am truly blessed and wouldn't change anything in my life. I know not a lot of people can't say that and actually mean it.

Last, and most certainly not least, I am thankful for you! If you have gotten through this entire post I am so thankful :) It was a long one and I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to read what I have to say.

So, enough about me, what are you thankful for?

Until next time,

Casey Rose

What does the fox say?

Confession time. I have this slight obsession with the site Polyvore.com. It is a site where you can search by the type of item you are looking for, i.e. Peplum top, and find tons of different options from all over the internet with what you are searching for. It makes life so much easier rather than sifting through tons of sites and trying to find that exact item. Sometimes the greatest treasures can be found in the most obscure places.

Another great feature of this site is what I have posted below. You basically make a collage of different items throughout the site. I like to make mine look basically like this every time, almost like an outfit of the day that I don't actually own. This is so much fun to mix and match different outfits together, it really is attractive to poor college students like myself just wishing they had endless amounts of money to spend on clothes and fashion.

So I think for any kind of Fashion Fridays/other random days, I will post something from Polyvore if I don't have pictures of my outfit of the day.

Today's outfit was inspired by this fox dress. I'm not sure if you all have heard of that song called The Fox by Ylvis. It started out as this viral video on Youtube and has now hit number 71 on Spotify. Basically moral of this story is I am obsessed with that song. It's actually hilarious and if you have not seen the video I urge you to check it out right now...in fact I will add the video below just so you really have no excuse but to go watch it right away.

HILAR? RIGHT? Just me? Oh, okay, cool guys...

Anyways...back to this outfit. It was essentially inspired by this song. I saw this fox dress on the front page of the polyvore website, thought "What does the fox say?" and then proceeded to think "I need to create an outfit around this dress", and so became this post.

This outfit not only incorporates a fox, but it also is centered around my greatest love: 'hipster' style. I have posted about this before, how I wish I could dress like this but it is simply not going to happen for me. So instead I like to live my life through these collages thinking about what could have been......man that was depressing. Either way, I hope you enjoy my fox dress collage.

What does the fox say? by caseyrosexo featuring cable socks

Until next time,

Casey Rose