Sister Style: Happy Birthday, Rudy!

- Melody 2 Comments

Ruby

17. SEVEN.TEEN. SEVENTEEN. Honestly I can’t believe it. Seventeen years ago today Ruby Rudy Meredith was born. All throughout mom’s pregnancy I had my fingers crossed for a baby brother. We even nicknamed it Bean Boy. I still remember sitting in that dark ultrasound room when the technician told us it was a girl and feeling jilted. Disappointed. Thank god, He didn’t listen to my prayers!

twerk

Having two sisters, three of us, there’s nothing like it. Sisterhood, man. It’s the real stuff. Rudy brought so much diversity. There’s such an age gap between Shelby and me to Rudy; a combined fifteen years. She grew up almost like an only child. We were so much older going through high school and college while she was figuring out how to drive.

It was a struggle, with the three of us, for a while. I found it hard to connect to someone so much younger than me. She was more like a daughter than a sister. (Here’s to never having kids!) It took me, us, a long time to find common ground. Who knew that’d be rap music and makeup?

I can’t remember a time before Rudy. She’s made our family whole and happy. Loud and vibrant. Sassy and uncontrollable. (Heavy emphasis on the sassy.)

She’s not afraid to be different. I am so proud of her for finding her passion in cosmetology and pursuing her degree while still in high school. She has lofty plans for school in LA or Dallas. (DALLAS, PLEASE.) It has been so sweet to watch her grow into a confident and goal-oriented sister. It’s been a long road. I am so proud. I LOVE YOU, RUDY!

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One Thing To Do When You’re Depressed

- Melody 2 Comments

Weeds

Last month I opened up about my life with depression and anxiety. Thank you guys again for your sweet responses! In continuing with that conversation, I want to share with you one sure thing I know that clears my depression.

Going to counseling weekly for about a month and now bi-weekly, I’ve learned one thing about my depression: it will never go away completely. Honestly, that’s depressing in itself. (See what I did there?) It’s hard to imagine a life where depression will always be present and knowing that I will most likely always deal with this is hard to swallow. A few weeks ago I was doing really well but that damn depression just sneaks in on you and tries to take you down. But this time I was prepared.

My counselor preached to me in the first month that to combat depression I have to force myself, literally, to get up and do something. I did a terrible job at that for a long time. It. Was. Hard.

It’s easier to feel bad than to try and be happy.

But that’s exactly what I had to do. Fortunately, I had a clarifying moment last Sunday. The last week or so I had been feeling down despite going out and spending time with people and experiencing new things. I went to church and lunch on Sunday with a friend and then came home. I had plans that afternoon to visit my friend and her new baby in Plano and I was having a tough time motivating myself to get back up. I took a deep breath, sat up off the couch, put on pants and left the house. No, the grey-ness didn’t lift even in the car. But you know when it did? When I knocked on her door. When I walked in the house. When I held that baby.

Forcing myself to get up and live dissipates my depression. And I bet it’ll dissipate yours too.

How do you deal with depression? Is there a different way you work through it?

xx

Sister Style: Arkansas Shots

- Melody

Bright light

 

I feel like every time my sister and I get together we end up taking photos of each other. Me, for the blog, her because I want to shoot her. It’s fun to play photographer and art director for twenty minutes and tell her what to do. Plus, redheads in the woods are probably my favorite type of photos to edit. That red and foresty green UGH it gets me.

hi!hi!

I shot these on our Hot Springs trip last Thanksgiving. Our house backed up to these woods and there was this perfect treeline. It’s so easy to photograph someone in front a treeline. Nobody looks bad in front of one. Pro tip.

selfieselfiederp

Can’t decide if she was doing this on purpose, or I caught her in some weird sneeze snart thing.

hi!light

I love photographing my sisters. They’re easy targets. Plus, Shelby has a pretty great Etsy shop where she sells graphic prints. She’s updating it now so go check it out!

Shel is currently in her second year at Truett Seminary at Baylor in Waco getting her Master of Divinity with a concentration in worship leading. She lives in a jealousy-inducing apartment with dark hardwoods, 12 foot ceilings, and glass doorknobs. It’s sickening, really. Shel is younger than me by just one year but we might as well be twins. People either mistake us for twins or for me as the younger one, which I’m fine with. When we’re 75 I’ll look younger. I hate that she’s not three seconds from me like she was when we lived at home, but the road trips back and forth are worth it. It never seems that far.

If you want to read more about my sister who is almost as cool as me, check out her blog! And then bug her to update it, cause seriously. It’s time. (UPDATED: Shelby apparently deleted her blog, MUCH to the dismay of ME.)

 

What Mel Wears to Canton

- Melody 2 Comments

YES

 

If you live in East Texas or really anywhere in Texas probably, you’ve heard of First Mondays in Canton, Texas. Every, you guessed it, first Monday weekend of the month there is this expansive flea market there. And when I say expansive I mean people bring their RVs and camp out for the weekend. My aunt and uncle are actually opening up an RV park there! (Rolling Oaks, holla!) Wear comfortable clothes, be prepared to eat fair food and drink the best lemonade you’ve ever had, and bring ca$h. You can find anything from antiques to cheap China crap to local farm food to “handmade” crafts to here. And the vendors are willing to deal. Just do me a favor and skip the animal part. It’s seriously all heartbreakingly awful puppy mills. (Do not support them!)

Several years ago I got a campaign style dresser here for $25. I had no idea what I was buying at the time but I’m so glad I was smart enough to snag it. This year I scored a rattan plant stand for $5! Everywhere else I’ve seen them for at least $50. Dude clearly didn’t know what he had. I also got this hilarious director’s chair that says “Miracle Whip” on it. No clue where that’s gonna go but I had to have it, obviously.

If I had a signature pose.

flannel/bag: thrifted, top: gaudy me, jeans/shoes: target, charisma: me

Don’t be a dummy like me (or do) and not wear sunscreen if you’re gonna pop off and wear no sleeves. I am glad I got a little color though. Summer’s a coming!

xx

Dallas Bucket List: Rooftop Nights

- Melody

LG

 

I’m really not sure where my obsession with rooftops began. Really with all outdoor spaces. One of my requirements for an apartment here was that it have a porch or patio or balcony. (Thank you, Jesus, for giving me one!) I follow a photographer on Snapchat that lives in Deep Ellum, a mile and a half or so from me, and has the most gorgeous rooftop in her loft building and she CAN SEE THE SKYLINE SO CLEARLY and it kills me. #loftgoals

bffbff

Since I got my haircut Friday (YAY!) I was feeling sassy and needed to go out. Kalie and I found a poppin’ rooftop in Lower Greenville and drank Pimm’s while watching the tipsy people balance on the sidewalk.

Remedy

Skyline!

You see those lights in the distance? Yeah. That’s the skyline. I swear it’s so much closer than it actually appears! It’s no Deep Ellum loft rooftop, but it’ll do. For now.

 

xx

Finding My Blogging Voice

- Melody

I started blogging in 2009 just before getting engaged, a whopping seven years ago. I had just discovered fashion blogs and was coming into my own figuring out what my style actually was and it seemed like the perfect avenue to explore and experiment. Back then, the clothes were sponsored by ModCloth and everything was thrifted or vintage. There was a uniqueness to fashion blogging then. Everyone had a story to tell or a witty quip. Now the clothes are sponsored by higher end brands and the photos are all bright white and the clothes are all neutral. (There’s a really good blog post from Jessica at What I Wore about this exact thing.) Don’t get me wrong! I enjoy those neutrals and those bright photos, but at some point, are we just adding to the noise?

black shirt

WEARING FAKE GLASSES EVEN BACK THEN. Some things never change.

I remember being so terrified of using the Nikon D40 I had. What is exposure? ISO? F stop? Focal lengths? It petrified me. But I wanted to learn so badly. I wanted that skill. I read so many articles, watched YouTube videos, practiced, practiced, practiced, researched, researched, researched. My first outfit post was called ‘Cranberry Legs’. I wore a white button up, a light blue pattern chiffon skirt, cranberry colored tights, and black boots. I didn’t have a tripod and I was too embarrassed to ask anyone to take my picture, so I took a mirror selfie in a full length mirror. That post is long gone now, and I would hope I’ve improved the photo aspect a little bit.

WHOA.

(seriously squealed when I found out I still had this photo. LOOK AT ME. OMG. Did I mention it was in a bathroom?)

I did alright for myself for a year or two on the fashion blogging front. I posted as often as I could and even got sent two dresses from a company I like. That was never my goal, though. I just liked clothes and had a knack for putting together weird things. I still have that passion, but I keep coming back to the same thing: are we just adding to the noise?

oldies

Everyone and their boyfriend is a fashion blogger these days. It’s hard to want to be something that everyone is trying to be. How would I find success? How would success even be defined? How could I create original content in a world where everything looks the same and is dominated by trends? How do I put forth my own voice and not be drowned out?

wowmocspolka

Let me tell you something. If you have a passion for something, do it. If you want to do something, do it. Learn all you can about that one thing and do it. Because you’re the one doing it, your voice will inevitably shine through. Your colors will be all over that thing. Sure, it’s still called what everyone else is calling it (side note: I really hate the term ‘fashion blogger’. ick.), but you’ve got your own spin on it. You have a story to tell. You have a life to live. And maybe some people wanna follow that and jump on board. I have no idea why because all you ever post is photos of food and your dog, Pepper, but sure. Someone will like that.

shortscheetahhair

Do I still question every single time I post if it’s good enough? Original enough? Catchy enough? Yes. Do I still wonder if I’m conveying myself enough? Being funny enough? Publicizing enough? Every day. But I know that I love blogging. I love writing. I love taking photos. I don’t care if this thing ever has more than ten followers, because that’s not what it’s about for me. It’s about doing something I really like that keeps me sane throughout the boring days. I know I’m weird enough to have something original to say. I hear it from my friends every day.

 

So let’s do this. Together. Let’s do what we’re passionate about and find our own creative voices. Okay? Swear? Don’t back out on me. I’ll find you.

 

 

xx